Joe Arpaio
| Joe Arpaio | |
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| 36th Sheriff of Maricopa County | |
|
In office January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2017 |
|
| Preceded by | Tom Agnos |
| Succeeded by | Paul Penzone |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Michael Arpaio June 14, 1932 Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Ava Arpaio |
| Children | 2 |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1950–1954 |
| Unit | Medical Detachment Division |
Joseph Michael "Joe" Arpaio (/ɑːrˈpaɪ.oʊ/; born June 14, 1932) is a former American law enforcement officer and was the elected Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years from 1993 through 2016.
Arpaio styled himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff". Starting in 2005, he took an outspoken stance against illegal immigration. In 2010, he became a flashpoint for opposition to Arizona's SB1070 anti-illegal immigrant law, which was largely struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Arpaio is also known for his investigation of U.S. President Barack Obama's birth certificate, and his continuing claim that it is forged.
Arpaio has been accused of various types of misconduct, including abuse of power, misuse of funds, failure to investigate sex crimes, improper clearance of cases, unlawful enforcement of immigration laws, and election law violations. A Federal court monitor was appointed to oversee his office's operations because of complaints of racial profiling. The U.S. Department of Justice concluded that Arpaio oversaw the worst pattern of racial profiling in U.S. history, and subsequently filed suit against him for unlawful discriminatory police conduct.
On November 8, 2016, Arpaio lost re-election to Democrat Paul Penzone, who succeeded him as sheriff on January 1, 2017.
Arpaio was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on June 14, 1932, to Italian parents, both from Lacedonia, Italy. Arpaio's mother died while giving birth to him, and he was raised by his father. Arpaio completed high school and worked in his father's business until age 18 when he enlisted in the United States Army. He served in the Army from 1950 to 1954 in the Medical Department and was stationed in France for part of the time as a military policeman.
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