Feds Sue Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for Refusing to Cooperate
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Maricopa County, and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for refusing full cooperation with the department’s investigation of alleged national origin discrimination in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
According to the lawsuit, MCSO signed contractual assurance agreements as a condition of receiving federal funds, and promised that it would cooperate with investigations of alleged discrimination. However, the Sheriff’s Office has refused to provide access to documents and facilities, making it an extreme outlier among law enforcement agencies.
“The actions of the sheriff’s office are unprecedented. It is unfortunate that the department was forced to resort to litigation to gain access to public documents and facilities,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The department’s investigation of MCSO concerns alleged discrimination against Hispanics, in violation of the prohibition on national origin discrimination in Title VI; the pattern or practice provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968; and the pattern or practice provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
Defendant: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Crime: Refusing to Cooperate with Investigation
City and State: Maricopa County, Arizona
Exact Date: March 2009
Sentence or Outcome: Ongoing investigation
Dollar Amounts: None
Defendant’s Real Full Name: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office
Exact Criminal Charges: Refusing to Cooperate with Investigation
Current Status: Ongoing investigation
Related Federal Cases
- Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Refusing Title VI Cooperation, Arizona 2023 · Iowa
- Mark A. Rissi, Threatening a Maricopa County Election Official and a Former Arizona Attorney General, Arizona 2023 · Iowa
- U.S. Attorneys Office, Failure to Assist Reentry, Arizona 2016 · Ohio
- Marco Antonio De La Garza Jr, Passport Fraud, Arizona 2018 · Colorado
- Carlos Victor Passapera Pinott, Cocaine Trafficking, Arizona 2024 · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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