AmeriCAN Spirit Award

America's Toughest Sheriff

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office takes great pride in serving and protecting the people who live in that county – all 9200 square miles of it -- an area larger than some states in America. Sheriff Arpaio has zero tolerance towards the criminal element. His hard-line stance on fighting crime is embraced by deputies as well as many members of the community. But make no mistake: Sheriff Arpaio will be the first to admit that his laws and his tactics are controversial. They’ve made headlines worldwide. They’ve also bared the brunt of jokes and weathered several lawsuits. Nonetheless, he defends his stance and backs it up with his immense popularity calling that proof alone that the majority of the people in Maricopa County want things run his way.

After retiring from the DEA in 1992, Arpaio was elected Sheriff and has been re-elected by a landslide for three straight terms.