Sheriff Joe is out of control

As it was reported on the Front Page of the Tribune and on the Front Page of the Arizona Republic today, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office raided Mesa City Hall and the Mesa Public Library at 2am yesterday morning looking for suspected illegal immigrants who were part of the company contracted as the City of Mesa's cleaning crew.

According to the story, the Sheriff's force was dressed up in riot gear and raided both municipal facilities looking for the suspects. I am not quite sure what they thought they would find, but its good to know that a mop-wielding man would have had no chance against the armed guard of assault rifles. Certainly a wise expenditure of public funds.

This is the event that breaks it for me. Sheriff Joe is out of control and his vendetta against Mesa and the people who oppose him is eventually going to get innocent people hurt or killed. You can look back over what I have written the past about Arpaio and I have always said that he should work with others and try to coordinate efforts. I also said that he was going to do what he wants and the only thing that he understood was force. All the while, I have understood that people love him and they are going to continue to defend him because, by golly, he was doing something about illegal immigration.

He is using shotguns to swat flys. Do you really think that this is about a few illegal immigrants who may or may not be on a City of Mesa cleaning crew? Not hardly. This is about Joe showing that he is in charge and that there is no one who can stop him. He is willing to go into City buildings whenever he wants and however he wants if it suits him. He couldn't call up Mesa or request the information during regular business hours? Certainly not a rational or affordable approach to solving problems.

How much did it cost the citizens of Maricopa County last night for this debacle? How many deputies worked overtime to strap on their gear and go along with the raid? If these were people already on duty, how many other crimes were missed because the deputies were off the street? What is preventing him from raiding the City of Phoenix next or your home?

I have no doubt that Mayor Smith was pissed off about yesterday morning's events. No warning and misinformation to the Mesa Police Department? Gathering troops with assault rifles in a public park, in a neighborhood no less, without giving anyone any warning? He is right, this is a public safety issue, and quite frankly, the public shouldn't feel all that safe when the Sheriff is around.

The simple fact is Sheriff Joe has a personal police force with which he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Its like his own personal gestapo, KGB or junta. Last time I checked, we live in a democracy with rules that were intended to prevent this type of behavior.