Sheriff Penzone: My intention was never to get rid of the posses

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone joined KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac & Gaydos Tuesday evening and discussed what needs to be asked of the county’s process in using posses.

“The question becomes are we doing a good job with the process to identify individuals deserving of the authority, with limitations on the authority,” Penzone said. “It should not always be the equivalent of the men and women who have gone through a full academy and gone through the backgrounds and earned all the privileges to be sworn law enforcement professionals.”

Penzone noted that posses “give us great value” and said his intention is to not shut down posses.

“My intention is to improve on the product and make sure that we have the right men and women participating in the right activities that support the needs of the community on behalf of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department,” Penzone said.

Penzone asked an oversight board to review the use of the posses after three arrests of posse members in the past few months. He said they would not set a date or rush to the announcement of the look into posses.

Earlier in the month, former posse member David Isho was arrested for allegedly holding a person at gunpoint during a neighborhood dispute. In a release, the sheriff’s office said Isho identified himself as a member of the agency.

The county has around 35 different posses and each has different roles, ranging from a jeep posse that will conduct traffic controls to another that raises money for injured men and women in the line of duty for all agencies.

Some of the responsibility placed in these men and women can be quite high, which Penzone said can help his department greatly.

“All these posses have roles and responsibilities that are great contributors where, without them, in their absence, we would have a deficiency in staffing to accomplish that,” he said.

Even with how much utility and value the posses can bring to the county, Penzone is mindful of how they must maintain and oversee the operations.

“With that being said, we must be cognizant of the fact that their missions must be an extension of our needs and not indecently determined by a posse,” he said.

Related

Man dead after being hit by car while crossing street in south PhoenixSuspect arrested in connection with Phoenix restaurant stabbing that left 29-year-old deadSevere storm watch issued for the Valley, strong winds and dust expectedTruck driver sentenced after undocumented migrant he was smuggling died in Tucson crashArizona man sentenced to more than 7 years for killing relative during fist fightTeen sentenced to 14 years in prison for deadly 2025 road rage shooting