Sheriff Joe To Fight Ruling Appointing Race-Profiling Monitor

Attorneys for hard-line Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio will appeal a judge’s ruling ordering the appointment of a monitor to ensure that his officers no longer use racial profiling, especially of Latinos, in their efforts to crack down on undocumented immigrants.

A federal judge in May ordered the Maricopa County sheriff to stop using race when making law enforcement decisions, in response to a lawsuit that tested whether police could target unauthorized immigrants without profiling U.S. citizens and legally resident Hispanics.

On October 2, U.S. District Court Judge Murray Snow ordered parties in the case to agree on the selection of an independent monitor within 60 days to oversee the work of the 81-year-old lawman, who styles himself as “America’s toughest sheriff.” In addition, he mandated other steps be taken, including appointing a community advisory board.

Attorneys for Arpaio, a divisive figure in a bitter national debate over immigration who was elected to a sixth term as sheriff last year, lodged a notice to appeal the order with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on Thursday.

The sheriff, who is facing a lawsuit and investigation from the U.S. Justice Department accusing him of civil rights abuses, vehemently denies that he or his officers profile Latinos.

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