UNDERSTANDING THE MELENDRES LAWSUIT
THE
Story
In 2007, a class action lawsuit was filed by Manuel de Jesus Ortega Melendres v. Arpaio. It was determined in a court of law that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office was found to utilize racial profiling and unlawful traffic stops of Latinos which was a violation of their constitutional rights. The lawsuit alleged that individuals were being stopped and detained based solely on their race, leading to widespread fear and mistrust within the community.
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Since the judgment, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has been under oversight by the Federal Court and the Department of Justice with an appointed Monitor.
Did you know that since the Melendres case was filed, you (the taxpayers) have been shelling out over $300 million? That's right, your hard-earned cash is being drained at the rate of $26 million to $42 million annually, with a significant portion lining the pockets of the ACLU.
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Did you know that Maricopa County Taxpayers spent over $97,000 in 2022 for a lease on office space for the independent monitor who had not been in Maricopa County since 2019? That was for one year and the cost keep increasing.
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Did you know that in August of 2023, Maricopa County Taxpayers were billed $210,000 for 700 hours of work? The costs for one year are more than $2.7 million for the monitor and expenses?
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Just think about how MCSO can effectively utilize these funds for retention and hiring of Deputies, Detention Officers, Dispatchers and other employees to ensure the safety of Maricopa County.
WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOU THE VOTER?
What will Mike do?
As your Sheriff, Mike will be committed to satisfying the Court Order to stop the funding to the ACLU and the independent monitor.
1
Reduce the Backlog of Investigations
To restore the Officer's Bill of Rights and come into compliance with the court order.
2
Build Community Trust,
By having our Sheriff Deputies truly part of our community.
Mike will restore the Officer's Bill of Rights by reducing the backlog of investigations against Deputies and Detention Officers. It is currently taking nearly 550 days to close out an investigation of a complaint against a Deputies & Detention Officers. At the end of 2023, there were over 2,300 pending investigations.
As Sheriff, Mike will focus on community engagement between MCSO and the community they serve. This will build community trust and allow for community members to share constructive feedback with MCSO.
3
Ensure all Policies, Procedures, & Processes are in Compliance,
To maintain transparency and accountability in MCSO operations.
4
Evaluate all Training Programs,
For the Constitutionality and adherence of Federal and Arizona laws in accordance with the court order.
5
Hire Additional Investigators, Deputies, and Detention Officers
To ensure community safety.
It is time to put more Deputies on the streets and less bureaucrats in the buildings.
Here are the Court Orders
The Melendres case is complex and lengthy. Click on the links below to read the orders and information.