Thread: Arpaio - Toughest sheriff in . . . Honduras?

Toughest sheriff in . . . Honduras?
Mar. 5, 2008 11:08 PM

Sheriff Joe Arpaio is not backing down. He is not going to apologize. He is not going to equivocate. He is not going to kowtow to critics, particularly in the press. He is, after all, the toughest sheriff in . . . Honduras?

"I back up my office," Arpaio told me this week. "We did nothing wrong. We worked hard. We used RICO money. And the benefits are going to well outgun the $30,000 (spent), believe me. And you know what? We should be commended. Instead, I'm getting this criticism."

Over the past couple of weeks, several news organizations have done critical reports about a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office program that for two years has sent money, resources and personnel to police in a Honduran resort area known as Bay Islands. advertisement




Ten of Arpaio's employees have traveled to Honduras, accounting for 34 weeks of payroll. They've also spent $30,000 in Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, funds on travel, expenses and supplies.

The sheriff said that the project will help with intelligence gathering on gang activity and also help to deal with human and drug smuggling. The first articles about the program were done by Stephen Lemons of Phoenix New Times and were followed recently by segments from Channel 12 reporter Joe Dana.

After other news organizations picked up on the story, Arpaio seemed to back down, announcing that he was putting the program "on hold." Although he added, "Our budget is $285 million. You talk about $30,000. We just spit and we spend $30,000."

When I asked the sheriff about the program earlier this week, he seemed even less conciliatory, particularly after I suggested that, to some people, the program appears to be a way of giving favored employees a paid vacation.

"That's ridiculous," he said. "First of all, as you know, the $30,000 was money we took off drug dealers. It wasn't a boondoggle trip because we worked hard down there. We were all over the state. We met the president (of Honduras). He may be coming here to visit me soon."

What about the fact that employees sent there weren't all crime fighters, but included experts in traffic and human resources?

"We don't have one person who knows everything," Arpaio said. "So when you want to talk about jails you send the jail person. When you want to talk about homicide, you do that."

Arpaio said that he considers the work a "sister city" project, and points to a positive proclamation about the program that was issued by Gov. Janet Napolitano. He also said that his department has received information from Honduran authorities that will be helpful in Arizona.

"Guess the Number 3 (foreign) nationality of people in my jail," he said. "It's Honduras. That's right. First Mexico. Second Guatemala. Third Honduras. Isn't it great for a country to want our expertise and that is willing to exchange information that even federal agencies can't get?"

Still, at a time of budget deficits, why send resources to Honduras? And what about the photographs that have surfaced of employees in casual dress looking like they're on vacation?

"I think if you went somewhere to do a story you wouldn't work 24 hours a day, would you?" he said. "You might work for a while, and then at 8 o'clock say, 'Where's the best Italian restaurant?' Everybody does that. Even the president when he goes to places."

So, while no one else is being sent to Honduras, Arpaio said the program isn't being canceled, only "evaluated." It's on hold. A temporary condition that the sheriff can impose on anything under his jurisdiction.

Except maybe his tongue.

www.azcentral.com

Who cares what one of the GREATEST Sheriffs of all time..

..Joe Arpaio, does..?

He's a hero!!

How about looking into something important, like all the trips our congressman and senators go on. The ones bankrolled by taxpayers and lobbyists. Maybe he should just mark it as a cultural exchange program and make the libs happy.