Joe Arpaio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Arpaio
Arpaio in 2024
36th Sheriff of Maricopa County
Preceded by	Tom Agnos
Succeeded by	Paul Penzone
Personal details
Born	Joseph Michael Arpaio (1932-06-14) June 14, 1932 (age 92) Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ava Lamb ​ ​ (m. 1958; died 2021)​
Children	2
Signature

Joseph Michael Arpaio (/ɑːrˈpaɪoʊ/; born June 14, 1932) is an American former law enforcement officer and politician.

Early life

Arpaio was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on June 14, 1932, to Italian parents, both from Lacedonia, Italy. Arpaio's mother died while giving birth to him, and he was raised by his father, who ran an Italian grocery store. Arpaio completed high school and worked in his father's business until age 18 when he enlisted in the United States Army. He served in the Army from 1950 to 1954 in the Medical Department and was stationed in France for part of the time as a military policeman.

Career

Arpaio and his wife, Ava, at the 2011 Veterans Day parade in Phoenix, Arizona

Arpaio speaking at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona

Following his army discharge in 1954, Arpaio moved to Washington, D.C., and became a police officer, moving in 1957 to Las Vegas, Nevada. He served as a police officer in Las Vegas for six months before being appointed as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, which later became part of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). During his 25-year tenure with the DEA, he was stationed in Argentina, Turkey, and Mexico, and advanced through the ranks to the position of head of the DEA's Arizona branch.

After leaving the DEA, Arpaio became involved in a travel venture through his wife's travel agency Starworld Travel Agency, based in Scottsdale. While there, he sold passage on the Phoenix E space rocket, which was hoped to take off from either Edwards Air Force Base or Vandenberg Air Force Base on the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the new world. Although he claimed in 1988 that the first 19 flights of the Phoenix E had been booked, no flights were ever made.

Arpaio was first elected Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona in 1992, holding the position for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017. Throughout his tenure as sheriff Arpaio sought out media coverage. He was featured and profiled by news media worldwide and claimed to average 200 television appearances per month.

Starting in 2005, Arpaio took an outspoken stance against illegal immigration, styling himself as "America's Toughest Sheriff". In November 2010, Arpaio created an armed illegal immigration operations posse to help his deputies enforce immigration law. Members of the posse included actors Steven Seagal, Lou Ferrigno, and Peter Lupus. The posse is no longer active.

Arpaio was a controversial sheriff. He has been accused of numerous types of police misconduct, including abuse of power, misuse of funds, criminal negligence, abuse of suspects in custody, improper clearance of cases, unlawful enforcement of immigration laws, and election law violations. His practices were criticized by government agencies such as the United States Department of Justice and United States district courts, as well as organizations such as Amnesty International. The editorial board of The New York Times called Arpaio "America's Worst Sheriff".

Over the course of his career, Arpaio was the subject of several federal civil rights lawsuits. In July 2017, he was convicted of criminal contempt of court, a crime for which he was pardoned by President Donald Trump on August 25, 2017.

Although Arpaio sought another term as Maricopa County Sheriff in 2016, the contempt of court conviction eroded much of his remaining political support, and he was defeated in the election by Paul Penzone, a Democrat who reversed many of Arpaio's policies after taking office. Arpaio was an unsuccessful candidate in Arizona's Republican primary election for U.S. Senate in 2018. In 2020, Arpaio failed in his attempt to become the Maricopa County Sheriff again. In 2022, he narrowly lost in his attempt to unseat the incumbent mayor of Fountain Hills, Arizona, garnering 49% of the vote.

Personal life

Joe and Ava Arpaio speaking with Ben Carson in September 2014

Arpaio married his wife Ava in 1958 and they had two children. In 2021, Ava died of cancer complications. As of 2008, he lived in Fountain Hills, Arizona.

Election results

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

Images for kids

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  Arpaio with State Senator Russell Pearce in 2010

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  President Trump's full pardon of Joe Arpaio

See also

In Spanish: Joe Arpaio para niños