The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) billed a class-action settlement for over $200 million in expenses, including $7,000 in cable TV subscriptions, an $11,000 golf cart, $1.5 million on office renovations, and $1.7 million for Tasers. These charges were meant to fund reforms addressing racial profiling. The Melendres v. Arpaio settlement, established after a federal judge found racial profiling by deputies, required new oversight measures.
The audit, commissioned by the court’s monitor, identified misattributed expenses. It found 72% of funds were misused. Only $63 million of expenditures were correctly linked to settlement provisions. Auditors pointed out that exaggerating reform costs misleads the public and undermines credibility, noting items like $310,000 for travel and professional development that was unrelated to the settlement’s purpose.
Since Sheriff Jerry Sheridan took office, attempts to halt the settlement continued due to perceived excessive costs. However, continued compliance reviews reveal ongoing racial disparities in traffic stops affecting Latino residents. Maricopa County, which represents a significant portion of Arizona’s population, has allocated $353 million for settlement costs since 2013, with audits uncovering significant fund misuse.
The audit exposed inappropriate financial practices such as charging an excess of employee costs to the settlement. It acknowledged the inadequacy in the Board of Supervisors’ oversight, who approved increasingly inflated budgets. The board seldom questioned budgets, as county ledgers documented expenses unrelated to the settlement.
Examples of unnecessary expenditures include $8.6 million for body cameras and Tasers, as well as overpriced office renovations. This spending misalignment continued, with additional positions and patrol vehicles charged inaccurately to the settlement funds. Notably, an audit found the purchase of 42 patrol vehicles, only some of which related to court requirements.
The court mandated audits, led by William Ansbrow and Eric Melancon, indicated MCSO’s budgeting practices allowed for rampant misappropriation. The persistence of improper financial management could lead to continued unjust taxpayer burdens. Republican supervisors argue the budgeting does not violate laws, but the audit shows serious financial accountability issues. Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona persists in advocating for full compliance before ending judicial oversight.
Overall, the findings questioned MCSO’s fiscal responsibility and underscored the push for ongoing reforms to address racial disparities thoroughly. Further actions are crucial to ensuring expenses relate sincerely to the court’s mandate, avoiding missteps that could erode public trust and cost taxpayers more over time.