A recent report has revealed that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office spent millions of dollars earmarked for court-mandated reforms on projects that were unrelated or only loosely connected to the agency’s legal obligations stemming from a landmark racial profiling case. The expenditures were originally intended to bring the agency into compliance with federal court orders issued in response to former Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s controversial immigration enforcement tactics, which had been found to target Latino motorists in violation of constitutional protections.
The investigation found that substantial portions of the budget were directed toward projects outside the scope of the court-ordered overhaul. Among the most notable expenses was the purchase of surplus body-worn camera licenses totaling $2.8 million. The number of licenses acquired exceeded the amount required under the court’s directives, raising concerns about the justification for the purchase and the lack of a clear operational need for the surplus.
Another major expense involved $1.5 million in renovations tied to the relocation of the internal affairs division. While internal affairs functions were a key component of the reforms, the scale and nature of the renovation project went well beyond the requirements set by the federal oversight process. Investigators found no evidence that such an extensive relocation was necessary to meet compliance standards, suggesting that the funds were used for discretionary upgrades rather than mandated changes.
The report also detailed $1.3 million spent on the acquisition of 42 vehicles. The vehicles were purchased under the compliance budget even though they were not specifically required to implement the court’s orders. While law enforcement agencies often need to replace or expand their fleets, the use of funds designated for court compliance to cover these costs raised questions about whether the budget was being used as a discretionary pool for unrelated operational needs.
Additionally, auditors flagged an $11,000 purchase of a golf cart, which had no connection to any court-ordered reform measures. The inclusion of such a purchase in the compliance budget was cited as an example of weak internal controls and inadequate oversight of spending decisions within the sheriff’s office.
The findings come amid ongoing federal monitoring of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which has been under court supervision for more than a decade following a 2013 ruling that found widespread constitutional violations during Arpaio’s immigration crackdowns. The court has repeatedly emphasized that compliance funds are to be used exclusively to implement mandated reforms such as improved training, data collection, community outreach, and accountability measures—not for unrelated capital projects or discretionary purchases.
The misallocation of funds could have legal and financial repercussions for the agency, including potential sanctions or increased oversight. County officials may also face pressure to recover misused funds or to impose stricter financial controls to prevent future misuse. The findings underscore the challenges Maricopa County has faced in bringing the sheriff’s office into full compliance with federal orders, more than a decade after the original ruling.