The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Russ Skinner as the new sheriff on Feb. 8 after Paul Penzone resigned last month. Penzone announced his decision to not seek re-election in October.
Penzone had been the sheriff of Maricopa County since 2016, when he defeated Republican incumbent Joe Arpaio. Prior to his defeat by Penzone, Arpaio was Maricopa County's sheriff for 24 years.
The board appointed Skinner after considering two other candidates; Jeffrey Kirkham, commander of the Apache Junction Police Department, and Patrick Valenzuela, police sector lieutenant for the Glendale Police Department.
- Skinner has been with MCSO since 1990. He previously served as Penzone's chief deputy and was already serving as the interim sheriff.
"Maricopa County, back in 1990, is a lot different than it is today, and we have a lot challenges we faced – the environment, the political makeup – and as stated before, I am bipartisan in the sense I am a law enforcement professional and I will do what needs to be done to uphold the law, uphold the constitution and make sure we keep Maricopa County safe and moving forward," Skinner said after being sworn in as sheriff.
Skinner will be in office until the November election.
Statement from new Maricopa County Sheriff Russ Skinner
Unchanged, is my unwavering commitment to uphold the mission of safeguarding lives and property in Maricopa County, alongside MCSO’s best-in-class detention officers, sworn deputies, civilian employees and volunteers. Building on Sheriff Penzone’s foundation, MCSO will continue providing professional law enforcement services and enhance our response to diverse public safety needs. I firmly believe and aspire while united with our community and partner agencies, MCSO can navigate Maricopa County's dynamic growth, assuring a secure and thriving environment for all. Thank you for your confidence; I take this duty to heart."
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“I look forward to serving the community,” Skinner said at a news conference.
- “Russ is taking a pay cut, and he wants to do that willingly.
- He wants to step into the breach of public service, and I applaud him for it,” Supervisor Clint Hickman said.
- “The people of Maricopa County made it crystal clear in 2016: they were done with Joe Arpaio—done with the way he’d politicized the office, wasted money, put the county at legal risk, and unfairly and cruelly targeted communities of color,” Gallardo said in a statement explaining his vote.
- “They voted for Democrat Paul Penzone because they wanted their trust in MCSO restored.
- I believe the former sheriff made important progress in his seven years in office, but there’s still a long way to go.
- Ultimately, voters will decide who leads this organization long-term.”
Skinner has been with the county for decades, including through the years when Republican Joe Arpaio was sheriff, which ended in 2017. Arpaio’s leadership still looms over the sheriff’s department, as it remains under intense federal oversight.
- At the news conference, the new sheriff clarified that he has no plans to bring back pink underwear and tent city, two hallmarks of the Arpaio years that were quickly shot down when Penzone took office.
- In addition, he addressed concerns about maintaining order during election season, as the politically competitive county continues to be a hub of civil action related to voting processes.
“We have to get past the anger, the separation, the polarization,” Skinner said.
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