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# Judge Keeps Federal Oversight of Maricopa Sheriff
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-arizona-2026-09-23-b/
- Published: 2026-09-23T16:51:50.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-23T16:51:50.000Z
- Description: A federal judge refused to end oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, finding that the county had not shown durable reform against racial profiling while leaving a path to retire individual requirements.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: Policy, Arizona

A federal judge has refused to end court supervision of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, finding that the county has not shown that reforms against racial profiling are durable enough to stand without continued monitoring.

In a 72-page [Sept. 10 order](https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28654471-order-denying-rule-60b/?ref=theamericanquorum.com), U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow rejected the county’s request to dissolve the injunctions arising from the long-running Melendres case. Snow concluded that important objectives remain unmet, but he also directed the parties to identify requirements that may no longer be necessary.

The case began with Latino drivers and passengers challenging immigration-focused traffic patrols under former Sheriff Joe Arpaio. A federal court found that the office used racial profiling and unlawful detention. The resulting 2013 remedies included recording traffic stops, expanded training, additional recordkeeping and an independent monitor, as summarized in the [case history](https://www.aclu.org/cases/ortega-melendres-et-al-v-arpaio-et-al?ref=theamericanquorum.com).

Maricopa County argued that the department had changed. Its December motion said the immigration units were gone, required policies were in place and current systems protected Latino motorists. The county also said it had spent more than $300 million on compliance, including more than $30 million for monitoring, according to its [official statement](https://www.hsd.maricopa.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/3550?ref=theamericanquorum.com).

Snow’s order found the record insufficient to end oversight. Traffic-stop analyses cited by the court continued to show disparities. Reporting by [ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/article/maricopa-county-sheriff-oversight-judge-ruling?ref=theamericanquorum.com) and Arizona Luminaria said a plaintiffs’ expert estimated Hispanic motorists were 40% more likely to be arrested, were stopped 30% longer and were 2.5 times more likely to be searched than white motorists. The judge said the defendants had not adequately explained those differences.

The monitor’s latest findings also cut against a clean exit. [Local reporting](https://www.12news.com/article/news/investigations/mcso-remains-under-federal-oversight-in-melendres-case-after-judge-rejects-bide-to-end-monitoring/75-0eaed8af-7c4a-4451-a0d4-75097d72bedf?ref=theamericanquorum.com) said the office remained out of compliance with 46 monitored provisions, while a [June report](https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/federal-monitor-slams-maricopa-county-sheriffs-office-over-internal-affairs-handling?ref=theamericanquorum.com) put “phase two” compliance at 80%, down from 92% in the prior quarter. Those measures address whether policies are working in practice, not simply whether written directives exist, which is why the court focused on sustained results.

The sheriff’s office disputes the conclusion that continued supervision is needed. It says durable remedies are in place for violations dating back 19 years and welcomed the judge’s willingness to consider narrowing portions of the orders. County board leaders have indicated they expect to appeal, arguing that monitoring costs divert money from public safety.

The ruling nevertheless leaves room for partial relief. Snow acknowledged that some provisions may have outlived their usefulness and instructed lawyers to assess which obligations can be removed by agreement. That creates a narrower path than the county sought: requirement-by-requirement reductions rather than a wholesale end to judicial control.

The decision is consequential beyond one agency because Maricopa is Arizona’s most populous county and its sheriff’s office is among the nation’s largest. The immediate effect is continuity: the monitor remains, traffic-stop data and misconduct investigations stay subject to court review, and the county must keep demonstrating compliance. The next contest will be whether the parties can agree on a reduced order before an appeal reaches the Ninth Circuit.