Thread: AZ-Maricopa supervisors come under fire for Guadalupe vote

September 18, 2008 - 2:12pm

By Evan Brown


Maricopa supervisors come under fire for Guadalupe vote

Dan Saban, Joe Arpaio, Ed Hermes, Fulton Brock, Richard de Uriarte, Rebecca Jimenez, Frankie Montiel
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is feeling the ire of two candidates for county positions over a vote Wednesday that could remove the town of Guadalupe from the protection of the Maricopa County sheriff's office.

Dan Saban, running for sheriff, and Ed Hermes, aiming for the District 1 supervisor seat currently held by Fulton Brock, both blasted the board after it voted to prematurely terminate the agreement Guadalupe has with the county that secures it policing from the sheriff's office.

The contract was not set to expire until 2010, but tensions rose after then-mayor of Guadalupe Rebecca Jimenez criticized Sheriff Joe Arpaio for a "crime suppression sweep" that was seen as unfairly targeting Hispanics and aimed at rounding up illegal immigrants. Jimenez threatened to terminate the contract at the time, and Sheriff Arpaio called her on the threat, resulting in the Board of Supervisors vote Wednesday.

Saban and Hermes were quick to respond to the 3-1 decision.

"I strongly disagree with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office actions against the Town of Guadalupe," wrote Saban in a press release. "Abandoning the Town of Guadalupe is nothing short of an abdication of duty by the Sheriff and the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Arpaio got his feelings hurt in a confrontation with the Town’s Mayor that took place in front of the media and now he wants to punish this small community by denying them law enforcement protection. That is wrong!"

Hermes too issued a statement blasting the move.

"Canceling the County Sheriff's contract will amount to abandoning County citizens to lawlessness," said Hermes, who reserved his barbs mainly for his opponent, Fulton Brock, who joined the majority in voting for the cancellation.

"Brock should not have voted to cancel the contract for policing before another is in place," said Hermes. "Brock is being reckless with the safety of County residents."

Richard de Uriarte, a long time columnist with the Arizona Republic and the new spokesman for the board, said he expected the situation would be resolved without the sheriff's office withdrawing from the town.

"The new Guadalupe City Council wants to continue the contract," said de Uriarte, saying Frankie Montiel, the recently-elected mayor, and the council are anxious to see an accord reached with the county.

De Uriarte also said there may be a new vote on the cancellation, since protesters interrupted the proceeding. The town has 180 days to put in a new agreement before it loses protection from the sheriff's office.

http://www.politickeraz.com/evanbrown/2 ... alupe-vote

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-TJH0llOWA

So what's the deal? The mayor got her way, let her deal with the fall-out now.

Sheriff Joe called their bluff.

The mayor of Guadalupe made a threat to cancel its contract because Sheriff Joe was arresting illegals. Now they are sowing the fruits of their threat.

Great job Sheriff Joe.

Sheriff Joe still has the right to go into Guadalupe and conduct his crime suppressions, whether they hire him or not. Guadalupe is within his jurisdiction. He just will not be protecting the citizens as a local police force would. So the town of Guadalupe is really stupid. What they are doing doesn't accomplish anything. It just puts them in more jeopardy. I wonder why other police agencies haven't jumped at the chance to help Guadalupe? Because it is a rat hole filled with illegals and undesirables.