Sheriff's Office operates by the letter
9 commentsSept. 22, 2008 12:00 AM

Regarding your editorial on Friday "Keep an eye on Joe": Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon misled the public by saying an investigation of the Sheriff's Office is under way by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Wrong. Untrue. Factually incorrect. As usual.

A routine audit was completed on Friday, and we know the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is complying, to the letter, with the federal agreement that provides authority to the sheriff to make immigration arrests. So the questions you beg to be answered were answered - not to your satisfaction, given your dislike for Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
To insinuate that the Sheriff's Office is not partnering with other law enforcement to go after serious felons, including illegal immigrants, is also incorrect.

This year the Sheriff's Office cleared more than 11,000 warrants; investigated more than 17,000 jailed illegals, placing holds on them and preventing their release onto the streets; and has arrested 1,050 human smugglers, all Class 4 felons.

We also have arrested numerous illegals for identity theft.

We do not racially profile. So confident of this fact, Arpaio has publicly encouraged anyone to report any complaint to the FBI.

You criticize Arpaio for being a "showman." You are finally right.

This "showman" is showing the nation how pervasive the illegal-immigration problem really is.
- Jerry Sheridan, Fountain Hills

The writer is executive chief of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
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