Federal judge keeps oversight of Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office over persistent racial disparities

U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow has denied a motion to remove federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, citing persistent racial disparities in the treatment of Latino drivers. In a 72-page ruling issued on 10 September, the judge determined that the agency has not provided sufficient evidence that its reforms will be sustained without legal monitoring. The decision keeps in place a monitorship that has tracked the department’s compliance with a 2013 settlement for over a decade.

The ruling highlights specific data indicating that Hispanic motorists are 40 per cent more likely to be arrested, stopped 30 per cent longer, and 2.5 times more likely to be searched than white motorists. This analysis, conducted by a University of California, Berkeley professor using traffic reports collected by the sheriff’s office, formed a key part of the judge’s reasoning. Snow noted that the responsibility lies with the defendants to explain these stark disparities, stating that they have failed to do so.

Sheriff Jerry Sheridan and county leaders had argued that violations had ceased and that the oversight costs exceeded $200 million. However, a court-ordered audit found that nearly 72 per cent of the sheriff’s office spending was misattributed or misappropriated, with only $63 million appropriately charged to the settlement. The judge acknowledged that some areas of the 2013 settlement may no longer require tracking, recognising the "burdens" of monitoring certain elements, but maintained that full compliance for three consecutive years is required to end the monitorship.

The federal monitorship dates back to a 2007 class action racial profiling lawsuit, Melendres v. Arpaio, which found the department under former Sheriff Joe Arpaio had violated the constitutional rights of Latinos. In 2013, Judge Snow ordered the department to document all traffic stops and employ additional investigators to probe misconduct. A 2025 evaluation by the federal monitor found the department complied with more than 90 per cent of requirements but failed in the two areas most directly impacting Latino drivers: eliminating racial bias in traffic stops and quickly investigating deputy misconduct.

Sheridan, who was the No. 2 under Arpaio when the county was found out of compliance, was specifically mentioned 30 times in the opinion. The judge noted that Sheridan was found to have abused his authority over internal affairs to obstruct and manipulate misconduct investigations. While the department declined to comment on these statements, Sheridan previously told reporters he disagreed with the judge’s assessment.

The U.S. Department of Justice, which had previously supported the oversight, informed the court in January that it supported ending the monitorship following the return of President Donald Trump to the White House. Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chair Kate Brophy McGee and Vice Chair Debbie Lesko said they were disappointed by the ruling, arguing that the oversight created bureaucracy and regulatory burdens. Conversely, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona celebrated the decision, stating that the court recognised that current and future misconduct by the MCSO would not be tolerated.