Thread: The secret side of Sheriff Joe

The secret side of Sheriff Joe

May 17, 2011

Reporter: Claire Doan

PHOENIX (KGUN9-TV) – Regardless of whether you love him or hate him, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is one of the most polarizing figures in law enforcement today. Although the media have covered every facet of his controversial policies, we know little about the man who enforces them. So 9 On Your Side's Claire Doan followed him around for an entire day to get an uncensored glimpse – a raw and brutally honest look – at "Sheriff Joe."

From the moment Arpaio set foot in his office in the morning, to the very first time he allowed cameras in a staff meeting, to an afternoon guest appearance in a journalism class, one thing became abundantly clear: The Sheriff is a walking paradox, with no small ego.

"Evidently, if you're talking to me instead of your sheriff, you must understand that some people may know me in Tucson," Arpaio said. "Some critics and activists may not like my policies, but deep down I got a gut feeling they do like me."

The 78-year-old uses his typewriter daily, but requires his staff to religiously maintain his Facebook and Twitter accounts; a top cop who relishes power as much as he fears losing it; and a man who claims he doesn't seek the spotlight, but welcomes the attention regardless.

"I like protestors. Everywhere I go, from New Hampshire to give talks to California, I draw protesters. It's great," Arpaio said, adding that demonstrators circle his downtown Phoenix office daily. "I'm going to be disappointed if they took a day off today."

Arpaio has been a police officer, a federal narcotics agent and the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency for Arizona, but said his calling came in 1992 when he became sheriff.

"This job is exciting for one reason only – that I'm elected, that I have the freedom to speak out, that I have the freedom to talk to you," Arpaio said. "I report to only the 4 million people who live in this county. I don't report to any media, bureaucrat, governor or politician. I report to the people, which makes this the best job I've ever had."

The Sheriff is both revered and reviled, drawing thousands of protestors at public appearances, but he is also treated like a local celebrity, with fans excited to greet him on the street and at restaurants, thanking him for his service.

Arpaio's policies are the center of much debate and criticism: Tent City, an outdoor jail which subjects inmates to the brutal Phoenix heat; the first female change gang; and pink underwear that prisoners must wear, which Arpaio said will soon be labeled "vamos José!" instead of "go Joe!"

"Curious to know whether you've tried on pink boxers yourself," Doan asked him.

"Whether I wore pink underwear, only my wife will know that. And I don't know, you know, that's kind of a personal thing," Arpaio said.

Not that the Sheriff is averse to personal remarks: "I remember being interviewed by Connie Chung many years ago when I believe she was with CBS. And you look like her, so I feel very comfortable."

This isn't the first time Arpaio straddled the racial line; critics accuse him of racial profiling, abusing power and unconstitutional searches.

"We do the best job we can. We don't racial profile. When you are the result of 46,000 illegal aliens that just my organization arrested – and you get only a few complaints, I think that's a pretty good record," Arpaio said.

Recently, his web contest made international headlines, allowing online visitors to vote for a "Mugshot of the Day." Doan asked the Sheriff to respond to allegations that his contest exploits individuals who haven't been convicted yet, or that he is showing mental illness in a negative light, as mental health advocates contend.

"When your station or any television station agrees not to show the same mugshot splashed all over the TV screen, and if you're a light high profile, every hour on the hour for months, then I'm going to stop," Arpaio responded.

What the Sheriff can't stop: his love-hate relationship with the media. He said he doesn't covet attention, that he doesn't care what people think; but underneath that is a continual fear of being forgotten, as evidenced by various things Arpaio said throughout the day: "I don't have many years left so I want things done yesterday." "There's an old saying, if you do nothing, how can you get any media attention?" And, "Once I leave, you won't be talking to me. You'll forget my name. So I know once I'm gone, the media will say: ‘Joe who?'"

The Sheriff said he has a softer side, including a love for animals, that is often overlooked.

"Well, I do have a heart. Do you think I go home and get excited and tell my wife of 54 years that I arrested ten more illegals? To me it's a job." Arpaio said: "Regardless of the toughness that you see in me and that I'm a right-wing, I do have compassion on social issues. But I have a job to do and that's what draws my reputation."

That job and reputation are what the Sheriff uses to define himself as a person – as evident in his struggle to answer perhaps the easiest question Doan asked him all: three adjectives that define him on the job, and three off the job.

"On the job: tough, fair, compassionate. Off the job? That's a tough one. Off the job, what would I like to do?" And after a few moments of silence, he answered, "Wife, grand kids, enjoyment." None is an adjective.

The sheriff's loss for words begged one last question: "Are you afraid that when you retire, you won't know what to do with yourself?" Doan asked.

"Yes. I don't have any hobbies. What do I do? Do I sit and look at … I don't have a pool. That's a problem. That's a problem but I'll face it. In fact, it's not going to matter because I'm not going to retire," Arpaio said, proving that there is at least one thing the "Toughest Sheriff in America" cannot face.

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"I like protestors. Everywhere I go, from New Hampshire to give talks to California, I draw protesters. It's great," Arpaio said, adding that demonstrators circle his downtown Phoenix office daily. "I'm going to be disappointed if they took a day off today."

That's too funny, gotta love Sheriff Joe. lol What most people don't know is that Sheriff Joe's parents were legal Italian immigrants. His mom passed away while giving birth to him; he was raised mostly by his dad and uncle. He didn't have it easy growing up.

"This job is exciting for one reason only – that I'm elected, that I have the freedom to speak out, that I have the freedom to talk to you," Arpaio said. "I report to only the 4 million people who live in this county. I don't report to any media, bureaucrat, governor or politician. I report to the people, which makes this the best job I've ever had."

It just doesn't get any better than that! A man who knows his legal constituents are his only priority; that their safety and well being lies in his hands. I like the sheriff in my Co. and I voted for him, but if I had an Arpaio I'd be actively campaigning for him!