PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, grappling with a lingering scandal over racial profiling dating back to 2007, continues to face oversight by a court-appointed monitor, a predicament costing taxpayers nearly $315 million to date. This oversight follows a significant lawsuit during former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s tenure, which accused the agency of systematically targeting Latinos.
Currently, the sheriff’s office is addressing a substantial backlog of over 1,000 internal investigations involving its own employees, some of which have been unresolved for years. Judge G. Murray Snow, who presides over the case, has recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the pace of progress in clearing these cases, particularly criticizing the efficiency of outsourcing some investigative responsibilities.
During a recent court session, it was evident that nearly half of these internal investigations started before 2020, raising concerns about the timeliness and seriousness with which these cases are being handled. Outsourcing, aimed at expediting these investigations, has come under scrutiny for its effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
Robert Warshaw, the appointed monitor, has himself been a costly investment for the county, with expenses totaling $32 million. This cost comes in the backdrop of repeated criticism over the slow resolution of cases.
Sheriff Russ Skinner, who took office after Paul Penzone stepped down in January, is reportedly making strides in addressing these issues. At a community forum, Skinner noted a decrease in backlogged cases from 2,100 to approximately 1,400. However, more than 600 cases remain that are over four years old, compounded by around 300 new cases annually.
When queried by a local investigative team, Christine Wee, an ACLU attorney representing plaintiffs in the original lawsuit, highlighted that the persistent delays conveyed a lack of prioritization for these investigations, which she described as being problematic for years.
Despite the challenges, some improvement has been noted since Skinner’s appointment. “They are taking steps in the right direction, and the backlog has been reduced,” Wee stated, adding that these efforts are nonetheless in the early stages.
To assist with the less severe cases, the sheriff’s office contracted Jensen Hughes, an external company, which has received nearly $2 million since 2021 but has been criticized for its high cost and low output. Of the 151 cases assigned to them, 130 have been completed so far.
During May’s court hearing, Judge Snow voiced concerns about the expenditure versus the results achieved by Jensen Hughes, labeling their output as relatively minor compared to the costs involved. Sheriff Skinner acknowledged some initial issues with the company’s performance, acknowledging that some investigators initially failed to meet the required standards of complexity and quality. However, improvements have been noted following these concerns.
Sheriff Skinner emphasized the need for external investigators to handle cases that present conflicts of interest internally. He expressed his office’s ongoing requirement for such resources.
With a pointed directive from Judge Snow for a timeline to eradicate the case backlog by March 2026, it appears the sheriff’s office will need to intensify its efforts significantly, potentially facing benchmarks to clear certain numbers of backlogged cases monthly. This structured approach aims to finally resolve a long-standing issue that has reflected poorly on the county’s law enforcement credibility and imposed significant financial burdens on its taxpayers.