Do You Feel Safe?

Another Loss for Arpaio - another loss for the taxpayer

Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Neil Wake issued a ruling in the decades old case Hill v. Arpaio - a class action suit, on behalf of pre-trial detainees concerning issues of Jail Conditions under Sheriff Arpaio. You can read the entire decision here if you wish, but I have identified some fey findings and placed them at the bottom of this post. Overcrowding, Lack of proper medical treatment and inmate safety are just a few of the findings made by Judge Wake. What you see below has been lifted directly from the court's order verbatim. Remember, these are not allegations, these are now Matters of Fact proven in a court of law.

In particular, I would note that THE COUNTY HAS BEEN ORDERED TO PAY ATTORNEYS FEES to the Plaintiff's in this case. The local media has not picked up on that part of this decision, but yes, we the Taxpayers are once again picking up the tab for Arpaio's decision to not do his job. The cost is yet to be determined, as fees will need to be submitted to the court - but considering that the central attorney for the plaintiff, Debra Hill, has devoted countless hours on this case for over 7 years, the cost to tax payers will easily be in the six-figures, possibly reaching into seven-figures.

Tired of cleaning up Arpaio's messes with your hard earned tax dollars? Vote Dan Saban!!!

-APK


Ruling, In part:

P. Attorney Fees
478. Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1988(b) for the award of attorney fees, Plaintiffs are the prevailing parties on Defendants' Renewed Motion to Terminate the Amended Judgment (doc. #906) and its predecessors.

Overcrowding
57. Overcrowding in the 4th Avenue Intake holding cells violates pretrial
detainees' constitutional rights.
58. Prospective relief is necessary to correct this current and ongoing violation
of pretrial detainees' constitutional rights.

Inmate Medical Attention
171. During screening, when pretrial detainees identify that they are on
medications, staff are trained to verify these medications, obtain orders, and initiate
administration of the medications in a timely fashion.
172. However, incoming pretrial detainees with chronic medical problems,
such as diabetes, hypertension, and HIV disease, often do not receive their medications in
a timely manner.

Inmate Safety
301. During intake, repeat offenders charged with serious violent crimes may
be placed in holding cells with individuals charged with DUI or criminal speeding.
302. There are no panic buttons or intercom systems in the intake holding cells.
303. Pretrial detainees placed in intake holding cells usually can communicate
with a detention officer only when the door is opened to move pretrial detainees in or out
of a holding cell.
304. Although security cameras record activity within intake holding cells,
detention officers do not continuously watch the security cameras.

More Republicans Backing Saban

The Arizona Conservative Endorses Saban!

Endorsements from The Arizona Conservative have been announced, and I'm pleased to see that Dan Saban is their choice for Sheriff. The more people I seem to talk to on a daily basis, the more I find that people are just tired of all the celebrity media stunts and Honduran scuba trips associated with Joe Arpaio. It's time to elect a new Sheriff. It's time to elect Dan Saban.

-APK

Wasting your tax money for Joe's High Rise Diggs

I talk often with friends, family, colleagues, really pretty much anyone that will listen to me about the amount of money that Joe Arpaio spends every year that just doesn't need to be spent. See, as a Conservative, I've always believed that good public servants avoid personal excess, or at least avoid riding the tax payer to finance it.

Anyway, in 1998 (two yeas after his election) Arpaio and his top executives moved out of the inexpensive Sheriff's office in the jail to take up shop in the Wells Fargo building. Today the Sheriff remains there, sitting in a in a wood paneled Penthouse on the 19th floor. This office costs us taxpayers $650,000 per year in rent and an additional $135,000 in maintenance fees per year. Facts. It originally cost $500,000 to install the electronics.

While the financial cost is significant - there is another point as well; the Sheriff is in charge of the jails and the law enforcement of the unincorporated areas in Maricopa County, shouldn't he be close to the jails and to his men and not next to the lawyers, bureaucrats and companies in the Well Fargo building? Why weren't the old jail offices fancy enough for Arpaio? Why is he making us foot the bill for his excess? When will Arpaio put the taxpayers first, and his ego second?

Thanks,

APK/JR

DAN SABAN – A HISTORY OF HONORABLE LAW ENFORCEMENT

My fellow readers, there have been a number of horrible accusations and outright lies thrown at Dan Saban during the course of this campaign by Joe Arpaio. Apparently the Sheriff believes there's enough time to organize a smear campaign - but not enough time to debate issues critical to our safety. That's unfortunate. But you, and your friends and family should know, unlike some previous elections, this year we have more options then four more years of Joseph Arpaio.

I would like you to meet Dan Saban. See him for yourself. He was born in Arizona and although he was raised in a home with physical and mental abuse he overcame this hardship to be an honorable and honored law officer. Dan and his two brothers all entered the law enforcement field. Dan distinguished himself as a member of the Mesa Police Department. He literally put his life on the line and received numerous awards from the department for bravery and honorable law enforcement conduct. More importantly for our future Sheriff, while he was at Mesa, he also worked with other departments (including the MCSO) in order to form task forces to fight crime. He retired from the Mesa Police Department in 2004 after over 30 years in law enforcement to run for Sheriff with the goal of restoring the good leadership to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and to restructure it to increase efficiency. He recognizes that the Constitution of the United States is paramount in pursuing the police power of the State in a way consistent with liberty. Dan Saban's position.


Dan Saban has a plan to reduce crime, effectively control immigration, and increase the efficiency of the Sheriff's Office. The Plan.

Dan Saban is a man who is as honest as the day is long. You won't have to listen to a constant drone of public relations stunts out of his office. His idea of doing a good job is to stay out of the press and do his job. Please consider voting Dan Saban for Sheriff.

Thanks,

APK/JR

Dear Sheriff, the Buck DOES stop here!

Joe Arpaio has said for years that "his jails" are "his business." He's said that he'll run them how he likes - without the interference of others, as he "answers to the people" - not the County Manager or Board of Supervisors. So what's his answer when faced with loosing accreditation for managing the jails into the ground? "I'm not trying to pass the buck but I have no management, no authority over the 'Correctional Health" in the jail.

No authority? Does Arpaio understand that 'Correctional Health' operates out of the Estrella and Lower Buckeye Jails? Does Arpaio know that A.R.S.36-402 clearly defines the role of Sheriff as being the responsible government office for 'Correctional Health?"

It seems to me that a few things are at issue:

1.) Correctional Health doesn't get a lot of press - it's one of those pesky requirements of being Sheriff that aren't glamorous, as such, Sheriff Arpaio doesn't really care.

2.) Arpaio spends most of his time in his Penthouse Office at the Wells Fargo building, book signings, and political events - so he's out of touch with jail management issues.

3.) Joe Arpaio doesn't care about human beings. Yes, that's a damming statement, but look at the record. Arpaio could step up and demand that people in his jails with diabetes get insulin on time; but he doesn't. Arpaio could demand that inmates with MRSA are separated from the general population; but he doesn't. Arpaio could demand this problem be fixed, but he doesn't - because he doesn't see inmates as human beings.

4.) Joe Arpaio is not a responsible person. When Rudy Giuliani was the Mayor of New York he placed a sign on his desk that everyone could see. The sign read two simple words; "I'm Responsible." That's leadership. That's taking charge and NOT Passing the buck. That's being a professional.

Arpaio needs to step up, take responsibility and fix this problem in HIS JAIL. Or, get out of the way and let a responsible professional (Dan Saban) do the job.

-APK