Joseph Michael Arpaio is an American former law enforcement officer and politician. He was the Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona for 24 years, from 1993 to 2017, losing reelection to Democrat Paul Penzone in 2016.
Arpaio in 2016
Arpaio and his wife, Ava, at the 2011 Veterans Day parade in Phoenix, Arizona
Arpaio speaking at a campaign rally for Donald Trump in Phoenix, Arizona
Arpaio with State Senator Russell Pearce in 2010
Maricopa County is in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,420,568, or about 62% of the state's total, making it the fourth-most populous county in the United States and the most populous county in Arizona, and making Arizona one of the nation's most centralized states. The county seat is Phoenix, the state capital and fifth-most populous city in the United States.
The Maricopa County Courthouse and Old Phoenix City Hall, also known as the County-City Administration Building, in 2013