New Maricopa County sheriff says he’s ready to make changes, end federal oversight
PHOENIX (AZFamily) —The new year means a new sheriff in Maricopa County: Jerry Sheridan, who served as second in command to then-Sheriff Joe Arpaio, has been elected to the position.
Sheridan comes at a time when the department is under a federal monitor, staffing challenges persist, and jail deaths are up, but he says he’s ready.
He was quick to remind the public of the 40 years he spent with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, working his way up from deputy. He said he knows the department well and can hit the ground running.
“It’s an honor to be your new sheriff,” Sheridan said in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
At the stroke of midnight, Sheridan wasted no time. He wore his new uniform, got in his new vehicle and greeted his staffers.
“It’s an honor and pleasure to work with everybody because I know you act with integrity,” he continued in the video.
Arizona’s Family Investigates asked why he did that. “They need to know there’s a new sheriff in town,” Sheridan responded.
About 24 hours into the new job, Arizona’s Family Investigates sat down with Sheridan.
Sheridan was asked to clarify his comments in a video where he urged his deputies to go after the “bad guys.”
Arizona’s Family Investigates asked if illegal immigrants were part of the bad guys he’d want deputies to go after.
He responded, saying, “The bad guys are criminals. The people that prey on the weak and innocent.”
The sheriff’s office has a history of targeting the Hispanic community under Sheriff Joe Arpaio. During his time in office, a judge ruled the office had a pattern and practice of stopping Latino drivers. The case resulted in a monitor overseeing the department a decade later.
While it’s still not fully compliant, it has cost taxpayers nearly $280 million.
Most recently, the focus has shifted from traffic stops to internal affairs investigations. As of September, the sheriff’s office said they had 1,300 of these cases; nearly half of them date back four or more years.
Sheridan said he’s committed to bringing the department into compliance.
“I’ve already met with the current commander of internal affairs and the chief deputy who just retired,” he explained.
He said they currently have 49 investigators dedicated to this work but declined to say if they needed more resources.
“They’ve got a great plan, and they laid it out too and we will be 100% compliance with the judge’s order,” Sheridan continued.
The ACLU is a plaintiff in the case.
“We are entering into this phase with an open mind,” Christine Wee, an attorney with the ACLU, said. “We don’t expect anything different. we are just continuing on as we have.”
Arizona’s Family Investigates asked what Sheridan’s message would be to those who have concerns.
“I’m not Joe Arpaio, I’m Jerry Sheridan,” he responded.
Under a recent court order, MCSO has to reduce its internal investigation backlog by 45 cases a month or face a fine.
The money will then go toward hiring more investigators. With that plan in place, the judge said the backlog should be addressed by July 2026.
Sheridan hopes to have it done sooner. So far, the department has complied with that order.
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