yourwestvalley.com
Arpaio vows to continue immigration policy
June 9, 2008 - 10:18AM
Mitchell Vantrease
Daily News-Sun

Sheriff Joe Arpaio reminded the Sun City West Republican Club this weekend that he'll continue to fight crime and illegal immigration as long as the voters keep him in office.

"We just don't lock up illegals but murderers, stealers and dope pushers, too," he said.

Arpaio addressed a room full of Republican club members Saturday morning at the R.H. Johnson Foundation Building in Sun City West. The sheriff talked about a number of issues to his constituents, from jail visitation hours to the elimination of the MCSO holding facilities in various Valley communities.

But the sheriff has made the most headlines of late by his focus on enforcing laws dealing with illegal immigration.

Arpaio said he'll continue his arrest policy even though he's come under scrutiny from the public and local city and law enforcement officials.

"We're the only law enforcement agency keeping with the state law, and we're going to reach the arrest of 1,000 illegal immigrants soon," he said.

MCSO deputies are trained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Arpaio said, to handle the arrest of illegal immigrants.

"You're a criminal when you cross the border illegally, and that's a fact," he said.

During the forum, a Republican club member asked Arpaio if he felt there were enough MCSO Sheriff's Posse members in the community.

"We could always use more but we're OK and have enough officers," he said.

The closure of the satellite jails, Arpaio said, eliminated some $2 million in overtime that had been paid to deputies.

"It's not easy functioning in law and order with the money that you get, but we try to manage it as much as possible," he said.

Due to several budget cuts, Arpaio said he's been able to operate MCSO "out of the red and into the black."

A reason for that, he said, was the closing of booking stations in the western and eastern parts of the Valley. That has required local police departments to take the time and personnel to transport suspects to the Fourth Avenue Jail in downtown Phoenix.

Besides Arpaio, Arizona Reps. Judy Burgess and Tom Boone of District 4 addressed the audience about their upcoming re-election campaigns.

Max Wilson, Maricopa County supervisor in District 4, told the club he's running unopposed for a four-year term in the upcoming election.

"I hope to continue to do what I've done for the last six years," he said.

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