By Michael Bryan
Sheriff Joe says, "We're going to work with them. We have for three years. But one thing I'm not going to agree to is to be controlled by some federal monitor or something. I'm the elected sheriff here, and I report to the 4 million voters in the county."
Arpaio doesn't seem to realise that a federal 'monitor' is exactly the means by which the DOJ enforces consent decrees under 14141. Perhaps he's only making sweet because his deputies just killed one of his prisoners with Tasers.
As for "working with them", that only occurred under a court order, not because Joe's happy to help. He stonewalled the DOJ on access to records, personnel and facilities for over a year, until the DOJ hauled his butt into court.
Even as Joe pulls back on the rhetoric and makes some conciliatory sounds, he remains under the impression that he has a choice whether to work with the Feds on fixing his deeply flawed agency. He will negotiate in good faith a consent decree which will include federal officers in key positions to ensure compliance, or he will serve out his term a virtual prisoner of his own office, with federal implementation and compliance officers running his agency in all but name.
Better change your tone, Joe. Arizona expects better.
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