Maricopa County supervisors are still waiting for Sheriff Penzone's resignation letter
The process to find a replacement for Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone has not started because Penzone has not submitted a formal resignation to the county's Board of Supervisors, and Penzone is mum on when he plans to do so, according to county officials.
A month ago, Penzone held a news conference where he told reporters he was leaving his post in January, a year before his term ends. The office of Maricopa County sheriff will be on the November 2024 ballot.
But on Tuesday, Maricopa County spokesperson Fields Moseley said the supervisors, who will name Penzone's temporary successor, have not yet received a resignation letter from Penzone. That means they can't get the process of finding a replacement started, Moseley said.
"If the Board receives written notice of a plan to vacate the office, the Chairman's Office will create a process, and we will let everyone know of scheduled Board actions," Moseley said in a statement to The Arizona Republic. Clint Hickman is the chair of the Board of Supervisors.
For past appointments, supervisors have asked applicants to provide letters of interest, resumes, letters of recommendation and fill out a questionnaire. Then, they brought candidates in for interviews.
There have been variations in the process of filling vacancies over the past five years, Moseley said shortly after Penzone publicly announced his plans to leave office.
Penzone is a Democrat, so per state statute, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors must select a Democratic appointee, even though the board is majority Republican.
On Wednesday, Sheriff's Office spokesperson Norma Gutierrez Deorta declined to say when Penzone plans to submit a resignation letter or when his last day in office will be.
"The Sheriff will make this information public when he deems appropriate," Gutierrez Deorta said in an email to The Republic.
During the Oct. 2 news conference announcing his departure from office, Penzone called his time serving as sheriff "a privilege." He declined to elaborate on his next steps but indicated his decision to step down early was related to the timing of his next potential opportunity.
Resigning: Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone will not seek reelection, plans to step down early
When reached for comment after Penzone's early October announcement, Steve Gallardo, the lone Democrat on the Board of Supervisors, said he is looking for someone with ample law enforcement experience who will run for office and be an "effective candidate."
"I'm not looking for a babysitter," he told The Republic.
Republic reporter Sasha Hupka contributed to this article.
Have a news tip? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or 812-243-5582. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @JimmyJenkins.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The process to replace Sheriff Paul Penzone hasn't begun. Here's why
