I read an article posted on the Huffington Post about who
some people tout as the meanest man in law enforcement, Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The
article, “Joe Arpaio Tent City Protests: Thousand Gather for Rally” was a whopper depending on which side you’re on.
I used to live in Maricopa County and I like Sheriff Joe
Arpaio. He’s mean, he’s tough and yes, he has a jail that is outside called
Tent City. Many protestors were out in full force saying his Tent City jail is
inhumane because of the hot temperatures the inmates must endure. Wait a minute;
it is a jail after all, not a vacation to Scottsdale.
And, Sheriff Joe did point out many of our U.S. Military
folks also have to endure horrible temperatures while on duty in some of
foreign countries and they aren’t complaining—they’re proud to serve!
Boloney Joe
When I lived in Maricopa County, Sheriff Joe was famous for starting
up the Tent City jail and if you ride by it, you’ll see a flashing “vacancy”
sign because he’s always got room for more criminals.
He was picked on because he only served boloney sandwiches,
made inmates watch “G-rated” TV shows and some of them were chained together
and worked on the streets of Phoenix picking up trash on the side of the road—yes
he chained women too. Good for him.
Crime is high in Maricopa County and because Tent City is
always open, I personally like the idea that if you break the law, you’re doing
there—even if it’s for a day or two.
We all here about the overcrowding in many prisons, and how
some violent offenders are let out too early. Not so true at Boloney Joe’s
place. But of course the worst of the worst aren’t housed there—it would be too
easy for these guys to escape and kill or rape or rob more innocent people.
The average inmate doesn’t spend month upon month in Tent
City either. These are short-termers or those awaiting bail or arraignment.
And, I must say I also endured the hot heat everyday wearing
dreaded panty hose to work when the outside thermometer hit 110 and often
higher. Living in Maricopa County is tough and if you don’t like heat don’t
live there and if you do live there, don’t commit a crime because the Sheriff
is tough.
It seems Sheriff Joe is always in trouble in the press or
from some “group” but the registered voters of Maricopa County continue to
re-elect him so most of the residents there could care less about these
protests that are now being reported nationally.
I say keep up the good work Sheriff Joe!
On a side note, the story mentions how Joe makes all his
inmates in Tent City wear pink underwear. I must say this might have once been
true and at the County Fair Joe’s soldiers did sell them and my husband and I
both had a pair of these boxer shorts. They were lightweight, comfy and so nice
looking you could actually run to 7-11 if you needed milk—no problem.
Many years after I left Maricopa County, however, I called
Sheriff Joe’s office and asked if these pink shorts were still for sale (monies
made are used for charitable causes). Unfortunately, I was told there are no
more pink shorts so Huffington Post folks, if you’re going to write a story,
get it right okay?
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