12News is once again reporting on the ongoing drug crisis occurring in the Maricopa County jails. This Feb.16, 2023 graphic report leaves little to the imagination.This April 7, 2023 report concerned seven female inmates now recovering after overdosing on fentanyl. Over 170 MCSO jail inmates were taken to the hospital for overdose or drug-related incidents in 2022.
Penzone, a democrat elected in 2016, weakly claims the type of drugs and how they were obtained is still under investigation. His immediate predecessor, Republican Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who housed overflow inmates in surplus military tents, was elected to an unprecedented six four-year terms. Bleeding heart liberals protested, though the tents had large air coolers. Arpaio correctly noted that the tents were used to house our military in the middle east without the aid of cooling fans. Penzone resisted being compared to Arpaio, since he always fell short of the popular sheriff. As a top federal official with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Mexico, the Middle East, Central and South America as well as in the United States including Arizona where he headed DEA, Joe Arpaio spent three decades fighting narcotics trafficking worldwide.
Over 170 MCSO jail inmates were taken to the hospital for overdose or drug-related incidents in 2022. For these conditions to exist within the jails exemplifies the need to replace Sheriff Penzone.
Currently there are two announced Republican 2024 challengers to Paul Penzone: Frank “Mike” Crawford and Jerry Sheridan. Both Crawford and Sheridan have filed statements of interest. Visit Jerry Sheridan‘s campaign website. This is Mike Crawford’s campaign website.