Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
At a news conference on Wednesday, Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio announced that around 3,000 volunteers will patrol the 59 schools in the sheriff's primary jurisdiction each school day for the rest of the year, and about 500 of the volunteers will be armed and authorized to use the same weapons as deputies do.
Arpaio told ABC/Univision back in December that it was not up for debate whether the schools had posse members posted outside. "It doesn't matter whether they like it or don't," he said. "I'm still going to do it."
Phoenix CBS affiliate KPHO (CBS 5) decided to investigate who these volunteer posse members are. After a six month investigation it discovered that some of Arpaio's posse members have criminal records. Criminal pasts don't disqualify members of Arpaio posse:
Maricopa County Sheriff's Posse members wear uniforms, have badges,
drive county vehicles and some even carry guns. And some of them also
have criminal records.
* * *
Arpaio wants his army of 3,000 volunteer posse members to look like
sworn deputies and sometimes perform the same duties. But an in-depth
project by CBS 5 Investigates uncovered a number of posse members with
arrests for assault, drug possession, domestic violence, sex crimes
against children, disorderly conduct, impersonating an officer – and the
list goes on.
These are crimes that are not tolerated in many professions, especially professions with an implied authority.
* * *
CBS 5 Investigates discovered that the county does not keep detailed
records on posse members. A look into the backgrounds of about 2,000 of
them revealed arrests for dozens of different crimes. From there, CBS 5
took a close look at some of the cases that were able to be confirmed.
"Don't get me wrong, I've done some things in my life that I'm not
proud of," said Michael Hoopingarner who admits to being arrested for
cocaine possession in 1999. "It's stuff that may not even be on paper.
It's stuff that I had to disclose when I joined."
The process by which a candidate can be approved is subjective, at best.
A posse applicant "could be disqualified" if they have a felony
conviction, have used illegal drugs excessively, or sport a misdemeanor
narcotics conviction, according to the sheriff's office posse
application. Despite Hoopingarner's disclosure, he was hired on the
posse.
And then there was Jacob Cutler. According to a Flagstaff police
report, Cutler threw his girlfriend to the ground and choked her while
trying to sexually assault her in 2008. When she didn't cooperate, he
allegedly threatened to call police and said they would side with him,
because he "has a badge." He was a member of Arpaio's posse at the time.
Cutler and Hoopingarner attended anger management and drug diversion
programs, respectively, and their records were eventually wiped clean.
Cutler maintained his posse membership and Hoopingarner was later
approved as a member.
While combing through thousands of pages of court records and police
reports, CBS 5 Investigates discovered that some posse members were
behaving as though they were above the law.
Kevin Ray Campos was arrested in 2007 outside a Scottsdale club for
disorderly conduct. According to the police report, he spit on several
bouncers and then hurled profanities at a Scottsdale police officer. He
pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, according to court records, and was
hired as a posse member a year later.
Law enforcement agencies should not allow people with criminal
histories access to a badge or uniform or any other accessory that might
give them the appearance of being a law enforcement officer, said
former Arizona U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton, who has represented sworn
police officers that have been under scrutiny for lesser crimes than
these.
"If the posse members are being given badges, if the posse members
are being given guns, then they ought to have the same supervision as
other law enforcement agencies have," said Charlton. "Here, that's not
taking place and that's reason for concern."
One posse member with an extensive disciplinary file is Douglas
Clark, who also happens to be a constable. Clark has been counseled for
rolling a county vehicle, driving 91 mph in a 45-mph zone, using his
siren when not on a call, and using red-and-blue lights installed on his
personal vehicle to look for something his wife had lost in the road.
CBS 5 Investigates tracked Clark down and asked him if he feels he is above the law.
"I can't answer anything on posse stuff," Clark told us. "I'm forbidden to answer anything with the sheriff's office."
And then there's the accusation from 2007 that a driver backed into
Clark's car and then left the scene. Clark allegedly followed the car,
rammed the vehicle and held the driver and passenger at gunpoint, all
while he was off-duty.
Yet, Clark still remains in the posse.
* * *
Law enforcement hiring budgets are tight across the nation, but the
sheriff has found a way to employ his army of volunteers at no cost.
Posse members provide their own uniforms, handcuffs and guns, which can cost as much as $2,300.
"I don't know what we would do without the posse because we have a
shortage of manpower and they pick up the slack free of charge, no cost
to the taxpayers," said Arpaio.
While they don't draw a salary, posse members operate within taxpayer protection and under the county's insurance.
Why is this being tolerated? Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio is a clear and present danger to your children, and to a civilized society.
