[View the story "Meet Sheriff Joe Arpaio " on Storify ]Meet Sheriff Joe Arpaio Storified by AJAMStream · Mon, Feb 10 2014 12:59:37
The winner of
5 re-elections , Arpaio is held in high praise by his Maricopa County constituents, however the sheriff has been the subject of lawsuits
costing the county over $30 million dollars.
The Maricopa County Sheriff is a regular Twitter user. The responses generated from his posts give a look into the divide between his supporters and opposition.
Gotta brag on my FB fans! My posts in last 4 days has resulted in nearly 800,000 views! Wow! https://t.co/MszanXBYY7 http://t.co/t1QeDlIX2EJoe Arpaio
@RealSheriffJoe 《Because we respect you and admire you》Brice Stroneski
@RealSheriffJoe @a3auntie u a real life hero joe thanks for your servicemike stevens
@RealSheriffJoe just because you are popular doesn't mean you are right.Aaron Smith
Arpaio's immigration enforcement has become a hot button issue over the years. From 2007 to August 2012, Arpaio claims to have
detained 51,000 undocumented immigrants. The Associated Press reports that from 2007 - 2010 the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) was responsible for the "deportations or forced departures" of more than 26,000 undocumented immigrants, representing about a quarter of the national total.
.@johnnyfriegas @DebiMenze @NumbersUSA Sheriff Arpaio of AZ used #racialprofiling to catch undocumented immigrants. There'd be more of it.Anthony B.
Eric Holder says Sheriff Arpaio is profiling people he arrests. Must be true since 99 % of arrested illegal immigrants are Latinos. ShockingBob
In order to achieve those high numbers, the MCSO conducted crime-suppression sweeps, or immigration
raids on local businesses. The raids involved going into businesses suspected of employing undocumented civilians and arresting them. The video below captures one in progress.
Joe Arpaio's Newest Workplace Raidpoorwiwhiteboy
According to a Department of Justice investigation, the considerable resources
dedicated to immigration enforcement in Maricopa County comes at the cost of suppressing other crime in the region.
The Sheriffs office has acknowledged that 432 cases of sexual assault and child molestation were not properly investigated over a three-year period ending in 2007.justice.gov
As of November 2013, the Maricopa County jail held 8500 inmates. Some are housed in "Tent City," an outdoor development just adjacent to the jailhouse walls. Arpaio says "Tent City," which can hold 2,000 inmates, allows the jail to house inmates at a
lower cost .
Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Tent Citywwepd
The "city" is the subject of much
scrutiny , especially during times of extreme weather. Temperatures have been reported to reach as high as
140 degrees Fahrenheit , and dip as low as
40 . Below is Sheriff Joe's response to criticisms regarding the conditions of Tent City.
"It's 120 degrees in Iraq and the soldiers are living in tents and they didn't commit any crimes, so shut your mouths."content.time.com
The walls just outside Tent City have been the site of protests against Arpaio and his policies for years. The video of one such protest below was filmed by a videographer for
Barriozona , an online magazine published by the
Hispanic Institute of Social Issues .
Tent City Jail Protest Unitarian Universalist Association and Puente | Phoenix, ArizonaBarriozona
Arpaio supporters highlight a different side of his track record. Sheriff Arpaio started
Hard Knocks High , a program developed to educate juveniles charged as adults. To date, it is the only accredited high school under a sheriff in an American jail.
Hard Knocks High School Graduation @ Lower Buckeye Jail. More photos at my facebook page...https://t.co/eceh6lO723 http://t.co/GKHo3D7Za7Joe Arpaio
Sheriff Joe is also known as a real cost-saver. Arpaio has eliminated
salt, pepper and
meat from menu options for the jails he oversees. The move is expected to save over $100,000 annually.
@RealSheriffJoe You are a true hero and I hope that the world begins to take your lead and save taxpayers money.80s on WallStreet
@RealSheriffJoe Just saw a bit on FNC about eliminating meat from your county jails menu. Come run for sheriff here, you'll have my vote sirNathan Lauver
@RealSheriffJoe No where in the constitution and other documents does it say you got to feed the inmates meat. Good for you.Scott4Justice #ORPUW
The Stream asked our community to forward their questions to the Sheriff using #AskArpaio.
@julito77 @AJAMStream #AskArpaio if he'd like his children/grandchildren 2Btreated the same way he treats immigrnts if they evr get detainedAndrea Leon Grossman
@julito77 @AJAMStream @RealSheriffJoe how is age discrimination addressed #askarpaio #ajamstreamTony V
@AJAMStream Is Arpaio worried that Hendershott, his former top lieutenant, is being deposed by the DOJ on March 4th? #AskArpaioEric
Jump in The Stream and join the conversation using #AskArpaio.
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