PHOENIX (Aug. 27, 2008) -- Sheriff Joe Arpaio, admittedly, is not the most popular person in Maricopa County, Ariz. He has been the recipient of death threats – he travels with a bodyguard – and has a Web site, www.arpaio.com, dedicated to his removal from office. But that’s fine with the man dubbed as “America’s Toughest Sheriff.”
The former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration in both Texas and Arizona – in addition to holding posts overseas in the agency – Arpaio has served as Maricopa County sheriff since being elected in 1992. In 1993, he created Tent City, in which 2,000 incarcerated men and women serve out their sentences living in canvas tents in the brutal Arizona heat. He also uses chain gangs – made up of both men and women – to contribute thousands of dollars worth of free labor to the community. And the inmates under Arpaio’s watch are known for their rather unconventional uniforms: black- and white-striped prison suits concealing pink underwear
But Arpaio’s contributions to local law-enforcement aren’t all as hardcore. He has launched rehabilitative programs like “Hard Knocks High,” the only accredited high school under a sheriff in an American jail, and ALPHA, an anti-substance-abuse program that has greatly reduced recidivism. And he’s taken a hard-line approach to illegal immigration. Those who have illegally entered the United States and are arrested for crimes are kept in jail until their trial. Then it’s either back to jail or back to their country of origin.
Arpaio has his critics – including several politicians in Arizona. But his constituents seem to like his approach; Arpaio has been elected to four terms as sheriff – a feat never before done in Maricopa County.
The sheriff, a member of American Legion Post 5 in Fountain Hills, Az., spoke to a joint session of The American Legion’s National Americanism Commission and National Commission on Children & Youth during the National Convention, drawing thunderous rounds of applause and one standing ovation. Below are excerpts from his speech.
“I did retire as head of the DEA in Arizona. I worked for (my wife) in her business and got tired of working for my wife, so I ran for sheriff. It’s easier being sheriff than it is working for your wife. I’m up for my fifth four-year term, and my wife is doing everything she can to make sure I am reelected.
“I said I was going to put up tents, and this is our 15-year anniversary. They’re Korean War tents. I didn’t get any help from any politicians around here. I always take the thermometer when I have international TV following me around. I take them into the tent and put the thermometer on the top bunk because it’s 20 degrees warmer, and it was about 140 degrees. They couldn’t believe. ‘How do you survive? This is awful.’ Then I give them the punch line. Our men and women are fighting for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan and are living in tents, so shut your mouth and quit complaining about the treatment. Some of those tents have holes in them. As you know, it never rains in Arizona. Who cares if the tents have holes in them?
“All the critics (say) he’s doing this for politics. I’m not doing this for politics. It’s very simple. I’m the elected sheriff. People put me in office, not the politicians. Not the bureaucrats. I serve the people.
“The underwear: why pink? They hate pink Never give them what they like. I took away everything they like – TV, radio. I did leave them three channels on the TV. I give them The Weather Channel, so when it’s hot here, they’ll see it’s snowing in Buffalo. They’ll go up there and never come back. I give then the (Food Network) with the Italian and French cooks because our meals are 20 cents for two meals.
“I covered the U.S.-Mexican border for 12, 14 years – on both sides. I know where Mexico is. Most politicians that talk don’t know how to get there.
“(Illegal immigration) is a big problem in the United States. It’s been there for many, many years. Nothing was done, and they keep coming. Now all at once it’s become a political problem. I do know (next year) we’re going to have some form of amnesty, which I’m totally opposed to. We’ve got so many people around the world waiting to come to the United States, legally, and you’ve got people coming here illegally, and we’re going to reward them with some type of citizenship.
“We lock up everybody (involved in human smuggling). It’s a Class 4 felony, and they can’t even get out on bond. Why are we the only ones, the sheriff, enforcing that law? And when we lock up all guys and gals on the smuggling law – since I do believe I have to train my officers in the jail to speak Spanish – we teach the illegals, give them a quick course on ‘God Bless America.’ Two years ago I put in a policy that everyone sings ‘God Bless America’ in the morning and the national anthem in the evening. These illegals do it, too. Nice touch.
“A lot of visitors want to visit their loved ones in the jail, backing up all the way around the corner. I had an idea. Let’s put up signs in every corner of the jail, in English, that said any illegal that comes into this jail isn’t getting out. Now our visitation has gone done. Now U.S. citizens don’t have to wait that long.
“I do have a passion for the Mexican people, but when this law came into effect, I remembered that I took an oath of office that I will enforce all the laws. You’ve got politicians, from the governor all the way on down, trying everything they can to make me stop enforcing this law. The mayor of Phoenix was in Washington (Aug. 22) blasting me, going to the Justice Department, wanting me investigated for racial profiling. It’s all garbage, and I’m not worried about the Justice Department investigating me. First of all, I worked for the Justice Department. I know that by the time they open the letter it will be 10 years from now.
“We’re going to continue to fight this illegal immigration problem. As long as it’s a violation of the law, I’m going to enforce it.”
“I’m an equal-opportunity incarcerator. We treat the women the same. When they go to jail, they do the same thing. I’m very proud of our chain gang. When the mothers and fathers drive by with the kids (and) they see the chain gang, they should be saying, ‘You do something wrong Johnny and you’re going to be on that chain gang wearing pink underwear and a striped uniform. That’s why I do it. Not to embarrass the inmates. That doesn’t hurt, either. We always have a method to what we do.”
Comments (2)
We need more Sheriff's like THIS!!
Posted by Richard Davitt | 08/30/08 6:29 AM |
We sure do! America loves this guy.
Posted by Mary | 09/05/08 9:33 AM |