Sheriff Joe says his piggys are perfect and never make mistakes. So don't every accuse them of doing anything wrong! They can't! Original Article Arpaios feud with Carefree has a history By Amanda Lee Myers, Tribune June 27, 2005 Comments made by Carefree officials at a recent meeting may have pushed Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio over the edge, but the so-called "Americas toughest sheriff" has had a bone to pick with the town for years. Arpaio is angry with Carefree not only for comments Mayor Edward Morgan and Councilman Mike Eicher made at a June 7 meeting, but for what Arpaio said has been constant criticism of his deputies, who provide protection and enforcement for the 3,000-person town. "This has been festering for years," he said. "Anytime they get a complaint, they take it out on my deputies." At the meeting, Morgan and Eicher questioned Sgt. Joseph Sousa about the offices alleged slow response time to a 911 call. Later, Eicher suggested the town should think about getting its own police force, to which Morgan said, "Thats a valid recommendation." On June 14, Arpaio sent a letter to Morgan putting the town on six months notice to put together its own police force or contract with another police agency for law enforcement services. Morgan called the decision an overreaction. Arpaio said thats just damage control. "I would never overreact to just one incident," Arpaio said. The sheriff was unable to name any other specific incidents in which his deputies were criticized. While he could not cite specific incidents either, Carefree Councilman Bob Coady said Morgan and Eicher have been putting down sheriffs deputies for the past six years hes been on the council. "I cant recall any meeting with the sheriffs department or a Town Council meeting or a budget meeting where something was not said against the sheriff s department," said Coady, liaison between the council and the sheriffs office. "Whether it was that they were too slow, they werent fast enough, there wasnt enough coverage or they were too expensive." Coady said the sheriff s decision to put the town on notice is justified. "Im not sure the council understands the workings of a police department and what these guys do," he said. "They put on a badge, they put on a gun and they put their life on the line. I dont think we should be second-guessing them." Other councilmen said the relationship between the sheriffs office and the town has never been contentious, although Arpaio may have been upset that the council eliminated a $60,000 sheriffs deputy post from the budget. The council made that decision because the position had been vacant for a couple of months, said Councilman Greg Gardner. The position was open because officials put deputy David Mansur on administrative leave after four women accused him of offering to not ticket them in exchange for going out with him. Gardner said that decision, along with the councils discussions of how much the sheriffs service costs, may actually be what is irking Arpaio the most. Last year, the town paid $301,564 for its contract with the office. This years contract, minus the deputy, is $324,434 and includes a new patrol car. Gardner said the council simply discussed the deal it was getting. "Were just trying to get the best price for our citizens." He said comments made by Coady in the past week about some officials irresponsibility appear to be a personal vendetta. "I dont think (Coady is) working for the good of Carefree when he says some of those things," Gardner said. "I dont think its respectful of the office of the mayor." Coady, who said he has been wrongfully excluded from meetings with or about the sheriffs department in the last week, was the only council member to vote against reelecting Morgan as mayor at the June 7 meeting. Contact Amanda Lee Myers by telephone at (480) 970-2330.