FBI probing claims against sheriff's office

The FBI is investigating whether the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is violating residents' civil rights in association with the police agency's illegal immigration enforcement efforts.

Reasonable Doubt: Arpaio's immigration campaign

The director of Respect/Respecto, a local civil rights organization, said Thursday that FBI agents have interviewed about 12 people the organization has directed toward the federal agency.

The FBI investigation has been in operation since at least the spring and is actively being worked, said Lydia Guzman of Respect/Respecto.

Guzman said FBI agents were investigating the sheriff's office before Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon formally requested an FBI investigation in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey on April 4. She said the FBI's investigation appears to have intensified during recent weeks.

Last month, Department of Justice spokeswoman Carolyn Nelson said officials were monitoring the sheriff's office's illegal immigration enforcement operation but declined further comment.

This week, John Lewis, who heads the FBI's Phoenix office, would neither confirm nor deny whether the agency is investigating the sheriff's office, in accordance with FBI policy concerning any potential investigation.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Thursday he had no knowledge of an FBI investigation concerning his office.

"Never heard of anything. I think we would know, right?" he said.

Guzman said residents have brought forward a variety of complaints, including allegations that sheriff's office personnel have retaliated against people who have spoken out against Arpaio through the news media.

"The kinds of things are publicly parking outside of people's homes and intimidating people, going into their properties without any warrants or anything," she said.

She wouldn't give the names of people who have been interviewed by FBI agents, because, she said, she is afraid of jeopardizing her organization's relationship with the FBI.

FBI agents have given her no indication concerning whether they believe the complaints have merit, she said.

Lewis said the FBI encourages people who believe their civil rights have been violated or who have knowledge of public corruption to come forward.

One of the FBI's top priorities is investigating allegations of criminal activity by public officials, such as lawmakers and law-enforcement personnel, he said. Those types of allegations also are among the most difficult to prove.

"We will put against those types of allegations any and all resources we need to, because the public puts its faith and trust in public officials," Lewis said.

It's important for the public to know that the FBI tries to be responsive to concerns about public officials at the municipal, county, state and federal levels, he said.

"When they think they have information to share, we gladly accept it, we evaluate it," Lewis said. "We don't even report back to the people who give it to us, because we can't, but we gladly accept it."

Gordon's request for an investigation was based in part on an incident involving one of his employees, Jessica Rodriguez, whose husband was ticketed for failure to obey a "Road Closed" sign near Bartlett Lake on Dec.2 after heavy rains damaged the road. Jessica Rodriguez complained to the sheriff's office that her husband's civil rights were violated because a deputy treated him differently than deputies treated white drivers.

Deputy Matt Ratcliffe asked David Rodriguez, who is Hispanic, for his Social Security number and later wrote him a ticket. He was the lone driver who was ticketed, though about six other drivers similarly drove past the "Road Closed" sign, according to Jessica Rodriguez's complaint.

The sheriff's office issued a statement last week that the matter was investigated internally and that the allegation was unfounded.

In July, the Rodriguezes joined three others in a federal lawsuit alleging discrimination by the sheriff's office.

On Thursday, their attorney, Peter Kozinets, said they wouldn't talk about the case or whether they have been interviewed by the FBI.

Arpaio also said Thursday his agency will conduct a "crime suppression" sweep next week, though he declined to specify where. "I'm not going to tell you," he said. "I'm going to keep this one under my hat."

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability said organizers are holding a community hearing on the sheriff's office on Aug. 19.

Raquel Terᮠsaid the event will feature theatrical components that will illustrate long response times to 911 calls and non-investigations into rapes, plus testimonials by people who feel they have been subject to civil rights violations by the sheriff's office and discussions by legal experts on civil rights laws.

Members of the organization have demanded more oversight of the sheriff's office during two county Board of Supervisors meetings. Terᮠsaid the group plans to repeat its demands at a board meeting scheduled for Aug. 20.