Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s deputies (and along with Pinal County deputies) have started another “crime suppression sweep” across a wide swath of the East Valley. Today just happens to be Mesa’s formal goodbye party for the city’s police chief, George Gascon, who is leaving for San Francisco.
Given the story about Gascon that the Tribune printed online Tuesday night, I have no idea how Arpaio says the following this morning and expects anyone with a modicum of intelligence to believe him:
“I don’t care about this guy,” Arpaio told Tribune writer Gary Grado. “I don’t know his birthday, I don’t know his last day.”
This contrasts with what was sent on Twitter Wednesday to followers of @RealSheriffJoe:
“I wish the Mesa police Chief a safe move to San Fran,and if I’m ever in san Fran? maybe he’ll invite me to an italian dinner.”
Arpaio has gone out of his way to tell people that this is his real Twitter account. So he can’t pretend now that he didn’t say it. Whether or not Arpaio was being sincere on Twitter, clearly he cares about Gascon’s departure.
And today’s crime suppression sweep is no coincidence.
Twitter
Le, while I agree that it might be odd that Joe says that he does not know the chief’s last day. I am curious how is his twitter from the other night is indicative of when the Chief’s last day was? All it really says is that Joe is aware he is leaving. Are we trying to read the Sheriff’s mind now?
The Twitter comment doesn’t point to specific knowledge of George Gascon’s last day. But it does point to the concept that Arpaio is emotionally invested in Gascon’s departure. Remember, the sheriff told Gary Grado he “doesn’t care” about Gascon. The sheriff had been hinting for days in media interviews and on Twitter that a “crime suppression” sweep was coming. I’m not saying that Arpaio planned an entire three-day operation as final message for Gascon as he leaves. But starting that operation today just can’t be a coincidence.
I think it says a lot about Gascon’s tenure that it is considered inappropriate or rude to attempt to suppress crime in Mesa without waiting until AFTER the police chief leaves. Seriously, think about it. I actually think it would have been funnier if Arpaio has issued a press release that said “To properly salute this man and his career here, we have decided to NOT suppress crime in Mesa until he formally leaves. Not suppressing crime is how Chief Gascon made his mark in law enforcement and I’m sure not suppressing crime today is how he would have wanted it!”
Gascon is an embarrassment to law “enforcement” - he chooses which laws to enforce, and will make a great addition to San Fran, or any other community outside of AZ’s borders. End of story, and don’t let the door hit him on the way out.