'It has been an honor': Penzone sends resignation, kicking off replacement process

Maricopa County officials confirmed Thursday that they've received a formal resignation note from Sheriff Paul Penzone.

That means the county's Board of Supervisors can begin searching for his replacement, a process that has been delayed because Penzone hadn't given the board formal notice that he was stepping down.

Penzone's last day in office will be Jan. 12.

"It has been an honor serving the residents of Maricopa County and I am grateful for the relationship with each of you," he wrote in an email to county supervisors.

The news comes about a week after Penzone announced in a televised interview with Arizona's Family that he plans to move to a role overseeing community programs and charitable giving for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

Penzone, a Democrat, publicly announced in October that he would step down from his post a year early. He took office in 2017 after defeating former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a Republican, and his current term would have ended in January 2025.

During the news conference announcing his departure from office, Penzone called his time serving as sheriff "a privilege." He said his achievements included rolling back some of Arpaio's practices, including closing the outdoor jail known as "Tent City" and ending the use of pink underwear for incarcerated people.

He also expressed frustration with "one cloud still hanging over this office" from Arpaio's tenure: the Melendres v. Arpaio court case, as it was initially called, and the resulting set of federal court orders that require the department to be watched by a court-appointed monitor.

The lawsuit that led to the external monitor began in 2008. Latino drivers sued the Sheriff's Office, alleging they were racially profiled.

Orders stemming from the lawsuit require the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office to devote significant resources to investigating and responding to internal affairs complaints, like allegations of wrongdoing by deputies.

Penzone has consistently said the conditions that brought about federal oversight — civil rights violations, targeting people of color — are no longer present in his Sheriff's Office and that he has made significant progress toward compliance with the federal court orders.

Some community activists say issues persist within the office. Raul Piña, a member of the court-appointed Community Advisory Board tasked with overseeing efforts to rebuild Latinos' trust in the Sheriff's Office, previously told The Republic that profiling still happens "in a more subtle fashion."

"It's not a public display of racism," Piña said. "And it's not used as a political platform. But it still happens in ways that are just as harmful."

What happens next?

County supervisors will determine exactly what the selection process for Penzone's replacement will look like. But those details are currently unclear, county officials said.

In past appointments, supervisors have asked applicants to provide letters of interest, resumes, letters of recommendation and complete a questionnaire. Then, they brought candidates in for interviews.

Penzone is a Democrat, so per state statute, supervisors must select a Democratic appointee even though the board is majority Republican.

If Penzone leaves before supervisors make a decision, Chief Deputy Russ Skinner will "act with sheriff's authority" until a candidate is formally appointed, said Norma Gutierrez-Deorta, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's Office.

Skinner is a decades-long veteran of the Sheriff's Office.

Republic reporter Jimmy Jenkins contributed reporting to this article.

Sasha Hupka covers county government and regional issues for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Penzone sends resignation, kicking off sheriff replacement process