Sheriff 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. He was the elected Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 until 2016, when he lost re-election to Democrat Paul Penzone.
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 investigating former U.S. President Barack Obama's birth certificate, and, as of 2016[update], he continued to claim that it was forged.
Arpaio has been accused of various types of police 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. Arpaio's office paid more than $146 million in fees, settlements, and court awards.
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