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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THIS AZ VOTES 2024 SPECIAL EDITION OF "ARIZONA HORIZON," I'M TED SIMONS.

TONIGHT WE FEATURE A DEBATE FOR CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF.

ONE OF THE LARGEST SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN THE COUNTRY.

MCSO PROVIDES SERVICES AND PATROL INVESTIGATIONS TO UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY AND OVERSEES THE COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM.

CANDIDATES WILL BE GIVEN 60 SECONDS TO REPLY TO QUESTIONS AND THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REBUTTALS.

LET'S INTRODUCE THE QUESTIONS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, DEMOCRAT TYLER KAMP, RETIRED PHOENIX POLICE LIEUTENANT AND JERRY SHERIDAN RETIRED DEPUTY WITH MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

TIME NOW FOR OPENING STATEMENTS AND AGAIN IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, WE BEGIN WITH TYLER KAMP.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

MY NAME IS TYLER KAMP, AND I'M A FIFTH GENERATION MARICOPA COUNTY RESIDENT.

MARRIED OVER 25 YEARS, FOUR CHILDREN, TWO IN COLLEGE, ONE IN HIGH SCHOOL, ONE IN GRADE SCHOOL.

I WORKED FOR THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT OVER TWO DECADES, HALF THAT TIME SPENT INVESTIGATING ORGANIZED CRIME, I RETIRED IN 2021 TO MOVE WITH MY FAMILY TO AFRICA AS EXECUTIVE TO WORK FOR THE LARGEST ANTI-SLAVERY ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

I WORKED FOR GOODWILL AND NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY IS PROVIDING SECURITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY.

I WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY INCREASING STAFFING LEVELS, ATTACKING THE FENTANYL PANDEMIC AND GRADUATING FROM THE COURT ORDERS, THE COURT ORDERS THAT COST THE COUNTY TAXPAYERS OVER $350 MILLION.

WE HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS ELECTION AND IT'S CLEAR, DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH OF SHERIFF PENZONE OR CONTINUE DOWN THE PATH OF JOE ARPAIO AND MY OPPONENT.

TED: NOW JERRY SHERIDAN.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

I WANTED TO LET THE VIEWERS KNOW HOW BIG MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS.

COVER 4.6 MILLION PEOPLE.

THE SHERIFFS AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL IS 4006 PEOPLE WITH $532 MILLION BUDGET.

I SPENT 42 YEARS OF MY LIFE WORKING THERE, LEARNING HOW TO BE A LEADER.

I SPENT 33 OF THE 40 YEARS IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE FROM BASICALLY FROM A CORPORAL ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CHIEF DEPUTY, THE HIGHEST-RANKING POSITION AND SPENT 12 YEARS RUNNING THE JAIL SYSTEMS, FOURTH LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY.

WHEN WE BUILT THE NEW JAIL SYSTEM, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

WE BUILT THE KITCHEN WITH THE FREEZER THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD, TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN IDEA.

I KNOW HOW TO RUN THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

I'VE DONE IT AND EVERY TIME I DID IT, WE DID IT UNDER BUDGET, AND I AM THE PERSON I WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT TYLER AND I.

THIS IS ABOUT YOU AND WHAT WE CAN DO AS YOUR SHERIFF.

TED: GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET'S GET THINGS STARTED HERE.

MR. KAMP, THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FACING THE MCSO RIGHT NOW.

WHAT IS IT?

>> IT'S THE COURT ORDERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING OVERSIGHT OVER THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

TED: OKAY, EXPLAIN, PLEASE.

>> IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE.

IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST AND WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

BEST BECAUSE IT EXPOSED THE ABUSE AND CORRUPTION AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OVER A DECADE AGO, THE WORST BECAUSE IT FORCED SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO PULL RESOURCES FROM THE JAILS AND THE STREETS TO COMPLY WITH THE COURT ORDER AND COST THE TAXPAYERS OVER $350 MILLION.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDERS.

THERE ARE OVER 200 PARAGRAPHS LISTED IN THE COURT ORDER, WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH 90% OF THOSE.

THERE'S ONLY 15 PARAGRAPHS WE NEED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH.

THE BACKLOG OF MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS AND WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO CLEAN THOSE UP AS WELL.

TED: DO YOU AGREE THAT THE 2013 RULING IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FACING MCSO RIGHT NOW?

>> I HAVE A DIFFERENT ISSUE.

THAT IS RIGHT UP THERE.

THAT WOULD BE 1A AND 1B.

SO THE 1A, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

TED: YEAH.

>> IN LINE WITH THAT, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS STAFFING.

WHEN I LEFT IN DECEMBER 2016, WE HAD MAYBE HALF A DOZEN SHERIFF VACANCIES AND 150 DETENTION OFFICER VACANCIES, AND CURRENTLY THERE'S ABOUT 1300 VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THEY HAVE LED TO MANY ISSUES, ESPECIALLY IN THE JAIL SYSTEM.

THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT 350 IN-CUSTODY DEATHS SINCE I LEFT, ONE OF THE REASONS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF STAFFING AND DRUGS GETTING INTO THE JAIL.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPLICATED ISSUE.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET THAT RELY ON DEPUTY SHERIFFS AS FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY'RE ABOUT 50% STAFFING.

SO PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON RIGHT IN LINE AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE OF STAFFING HAS TO DO WITH IT.

TED: LET'S TALK ABOUT STAFFING AND SHORTAGES.

DETENTION OFFICERS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

IF ELECTED, WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO ABOUT THAT?

>> AS I TRAVEL THE COUNTY SPEAKING TO DIFFERENT POLICE UNIONS, SPOKEN TO THE RANK AND FILE, THE THREE THINGS THAT COME UP ARE PAY, BENEFITS AND WORKING CONDITIONS.

PAY, WE HAVE TO BE ON SCALE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THE VALLEY.

SO I'M RECOMMENDING A STEP BASED PAY SCALE SYSTEM SO EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT PAY MIGHT BE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

I WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT AN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS WALK-IN CLINIC WITH A LICENSED PRACTITIONER.

IMPORTANT WE TREAT THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYEES' PHYSICAL NEEDS AND MENTAL NEEDS.

THEY HAVE SLEEP APNEA, THEY TURN TO ALCOHOL TO TREAT THE CHALLENGES.

AND LASTLY WE NEED TO CLEAN UP THE BACKLOG OF MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS, REASON BEING IS IT PREVENTS EMPLOYEES FROM POTENTIALLY TRANSFERRING OR PROMOTING SO IT HURTS CAREER DEVELOPMENT.

TED: MR. SHERIDAN, IF ELECTED WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO ON THE STAFFING SHORTAGES?

>> I'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON IT.

LAST AUGUST, LAST YEAR IN 2023, I ATTENDED A MEETING THAT PLEA PUT ON ABOUT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, AND TED, I WAS THE ONLY PERSON FROM MCSO THERE.

I HAVEN'T WORKED THERE IN SEVEN YEARS, AND THEY DIDN'T SEND ANYBODY TO THE SEMINAR, AND MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE VALLEY HAVE SOMEONE THERE.

I'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE FOR YEARS, AND WHAT IT IS ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT PAY, TYLER'S RIGHT.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A LOT OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT I MEET ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, TALKING TO THEM ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS.

I'M ALSO TALKING TO THE LEGISLATORS THAT I RUN INTO ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ABOUT HAVING TO CHANGE THE DETENTION OFFICER, RETIREMENT BACK TO THE 25-YEAR RETIREMENT BECAUSE NOW THEY ONLY GET A 401(k), AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.

SO ALL OF THESE ISSUES HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY, BUT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE, AND I THINK LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THIS COUNTRY TODAY, IT'S A LACK OF LEADERSHIP.

A LACK OF SOMEBODY AT THE TOP, SHERIFFS AND POLICE CHIEFS THAT DON'T HAVE THE BACK OF THEIR PEOPLE, AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR JOB IS ALL ABOUT.

>> IF I CAN INTERJECT REAL QUICK, YOU ARE CORRECT, JERRY, BUT HAVE TO REMEMBER A BIG REASON WHY WE HAVE THE STAFFING SHORTAGES, AND IT'S THE COURT ORDERS.

THE COURT ORDERS HAVE HURT RECRUITING, RETENTION HURT MORALE, EMPLOYEES ARE JUMPING SHIP, GOING TO OTHER AGENCIES AROUND THE VALLEY.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHY WE'RE IN THIS MESS, PAYING $350 MILLION, THE TAXPAYERS PAYING $350 MILLION BECAUSE OF THE COURT ORDERS AND HAVE TO REMEMBER WHY WE'RE IN THIS MESS TO BEGIN WITH.

TED: I WANT TO GET TO THE COURT ORDER IN A SECOND.

>> I CAN RESPOND TO THIS?

TED: PLEASE.

>> THE COURT ORDERS, AND REMEMBER I WAS THERE WHEN THE JUDGE ISSUED THAT FIRST ORDER, THE SECOND ORDER AND VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE THIRD ORDER, AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE JUDGE'S ORDERS.

WHAT IT IS ABOUT IS HOW THE SHERIFFS ADMINISTRATION HAS IMPLEMENTED THOSE ORDERS, AND IT'S THE EXTRA THINGS THAT THEY HAVE ADDED THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE COURT ORDER THAT HAVE MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DEPUTIES TO DO THEIR JOB.

TED: AGAIN, THE 800 POUND ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

WE'RE GOING TO GET TO IT IN FULL IN A SECOND.

THE IDEA OF BETTER PAY.

GREAT IDEA.

WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM?

>> NEGOTIATED WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND I SPOKE WITH THE CURRENT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND POTENTIAL SEATS IN THE FUTURE.

NEEDS TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THEM, AND I'M PROPOSING A 4 TO 5% PAY SCALE STEP EVERY YEAR THEY'RE ON THE DEPARTMENT UNTIL SIX OR SEVEN YEARS TENURED.

TED: LET'S GET TO THE COURT ORDER HERE, MR. SHERIDAN, 350 SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS AND COUNTING HERE TO GET IN COMPLIANCE IN A REQUIRED AMOUNT OF TIME.

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO GET THIS DONE?

>> THERE'S MANY REASONS.

LET ME FIRST TELL THOUGHT NUMBER ONE EXPENSE OF THAT COURT ORDER IS NOT THE LAWYERS, IT'S NOT ANY FINES, IT'S NOT THE MONITOR.

IT'S THE FACT THAT INITIALLY THE JUDGE ORDERED THAT WE HIRE OR PROMOTE -- AND I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER -- ABOUT 40 NEW SERGEANTS.

HE DIDN'T FEEL WE HAD ENOUGH SERGEANTS IN THE STREET.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.

40 NEW SERGEANTS, YOU'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT 6 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, AND THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT CAUSED BECAUSE THAT'S A RECURRING COST EVERY YEAR.

SO THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.

TED: MR. KAMP, THE COURT ORDER AGAIN, THE JUDGE FOUND HE'S VIOLATED THE RIGHTS OF HISPANIC MOTORISTS.

THAT'S 2013, AND WE'RE STILL PAYING MONEY TO GET THE MCSO IN ALIGN.

WHAT'S THE DIFFICULTY HERE?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHY THIS LAWSUIT CAME ABOUT TO BEGIN WITH, AND MY OPPONENT WAS RUNNING OPERATIONS FOR THE ENTIRE MCSO WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

THERE WERE POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN PLACE THAT WERE BEING ORDERED BY MY OPPONENT TO DO THE ILLEGAL ROUNDUPS AND IT WAS DISCRIMINATION, WHEN THE COURT CAME IN AND TAKED A LOOK AT WHAT THEY WERE DOING, THERE WERE SO MANY TRAINING ISSUES AND POLICY ISSUES THAT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED, THAT WAS IN 2013.

THEY HAD THREE YEARS TO COMPLY WITH THE COURT ORDERS AND FAILED TO DO SO.

IN 2016, MY OPPONENT'S NAME IS ALL OVER THE COURT ORDERS, FINGERPRINTS ARE ALL OVER IT THE REASON WE WERE GIVEN THE SECOND COURT ORDER.

TED: WE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, YOU CALLED THE WORDS LUDICROUS AND CRAP.

>> I DID.

TED: DO YOU STILL FEEL THAT WAY?

>> YES.

I DON'T -- I DON'T DENY ANYTHING THEY SAID BACK IN THOSE DAYS, BUT THE MEDIA ONLY PLAYED ONE PIECE OF THIS, PLUS I NEED TO DO A LITTLE REBUTTAL TOO, AND THAT WAS -- I WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF 200 DEPUTIES, WE'LL PUT THEM OUT ON THE STREET IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE SOMEBODY KILLED ONE OF OUR DETENTION OFFICERS TWO WEEKS BEFORE, AND THE COURT ORDER CAME DOWN THAT WEEK, THEY WERE ALL DEMORALIZED.

I STOOD UP IN FRONT OF THEM AND SAID I KNOW THIS ORDER IS LUDICROUS AND CRAP, AND IN THE SAME SENTENCE -- AND THE MEDIA NEVER PLAYED THIS -- THIS IS THE LAW OF THE LAND AND WE WILL COMPLY AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO COMPLY WITH THAT ORDER.

SO THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

BUT THE OTHER ISSUE WAS, I RAN THOSE JAIL SYSTEMS FROM 1998 TO 2010, ACTUALLY 2011 WHEN I WAS OFFICIALLY PROMOTED TO THE CHIEF DEPUTY.

THIS CASE HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SIX YEARS UNTIL THE FIRST DAY I SHOWED UP IN COURT WAS IN JUNE OF 2013 TO RECEIVE THAT COURT ORDER.

I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN IT, I HOPE TYLER FINALLY GETS THIS CORRECT BECAUSE IT'S A BIG TALKING POINT, BUT IT'S COMPLETELY INACCURATE.

TED: ALL RIGHT, RESPOND PLEASE.

>> LET'S FOCUS BETWEEN 2013 AND 2016, WHEN YOU READ THE SECOND COURT ORDER ISSUED IN 2016, MY OPPONENTS NAME APPEARS IN THE COURT ORDER MORE OFTEN THAN ARPAIO'S NAME.

THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE FIRST COURT ORDER AND THAT'S WHY THE SECOND ONE WAS GIVEN.

TED: AGAIN, THE REASON FOR THIS IS A STOPPING OF HISPANIC MOTORISTS.

THE COREELARY QUESTION IS HERE, HOW DO YOU REGAIN THE TRUST OF LATINOS IN MARICOPA COUNTY CONSIDERING ALL THAT'S GOING ON HERE, THIS CONTINUED CASE, THE CONTINUED REPORTS THAT LATINOS ARE PULLED OVER MORE FREQUENTLY, HELD LONGER, IT GOES ON AND ON, HOW DO YOU REGAIN THAT TRUST?

>> THROUGH BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND TAKES TIME, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTY AND MEET WITH LEADERSHIP IN THAT GROUP.

ONE THING THAT SHERIFF PENZONE DID THAT WAS GREAT WAS CREATED HISPANIC ADVISORY BOARDS THAT HELPS GIVE ACCESS TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ACCESS TO THE BLIND SPOT HE HAD, THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL CONTINUE AS SHERIFF.

OVERSEAS I DEVELOPED A DEEPER SENSE OF EMPATHY.

EMPATHY IS A NOUN BUT IT'S AN ACTION.

THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND ANOTHER PERSON'S PERSPECTIVE OR HOW THEY FEEL.

THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS SHERIFF, YOU HAVE TO HAVE EMPATHY TOWARDS THE ORGANIZATION AND THE COMMUNITY YOU SERVE.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PERSPECTIVE IS, ONCE YOU REALIZE THAT, YOU CAN PROVIDE BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.

TED: REGAINING THE TRUST OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY, MR. SHERIDAN, WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ALL ACROSS THE NATION NOT JUST THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THE TRAFFIC STOP IS VERY SIMPLE.

WHAT THE JUDGE FOUND IS MCSO WAS STOPPING HISPANIC DRIVERS 13% LONGER THAN NON-HISPANIC DRIVERS, WHAT, MINUTE AND A HALF MAYBE?

THAT'S WHAT STARTED THIS WHOLE THING.

THOSE ISSUES HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

THERE'S A TIME CLOCK SET FOR DEPUTIES WHEN THEY MAKE TRAFFIC STOPS AND IF THEY GO OVER THEM, THEY GET CALLED IN.

BUT THE PERCEPTION IS STILL OUT THERE BECAUSE OF MY FORMER BOSS, OKAY?

AND THE WAY HE PLAYED WITH THE MEDIA AND USED IT TO GARNER MEDIA ATTENTION, IT WASN'T THOSE DEPUTIES THAT WERE OUT THERE IN THE PATROL CARS.

IT'S NOT THE DEPUTIES THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE PATROL CARS NOW.

IT WASN'T ME, I WASN'T INVOLVED IN ANY OF THIS MILL ENDRA STUFF UNTIL THE VERY END.

TED: ARE YOU SAYING THAT MCSO DID NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGET LATINO MOTORISTS?

>> I'M NOT SAYING THAT.

THERE WERE THREE -- DURING THE COURT TRIAL, I NEVER ATTENDED IT BUT I INHERITED IT.

WHAT THEY DID IS TARGET HISPANIC NEIGHBORHOODS TO MAKE THE TRAFFIC STOPS IN.

THAT'S WHAT GOT MY FORMER BOSS IN TROUBLE.

TED: WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ALL THIS?

>> WHEN I REFLECT BACK ON WHAT WAS GOING ON BACK THEN, MY OPPONENT WAS GIVING THE ORDERS, SETTING THE POLICY FOR THE DEPUTIES TO DO THESE ROUNDUPS AND THESE INVESTIGATIONS AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS WHERE THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY STARTED NOT TO TRUST THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WORKING AT THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAD THE TRUST OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

AND I HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE IN MY TIME AT PHOENIX, IF THEY SAW SOMEBODY WEARING COLORS OF THE MCSO, THEY DIDN'T TRUST THEM BECAUSE THEY WORKED FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

DIDN'T MEAN THAT DEPUTIES AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WERE RACIST OR ILLEGAL, IT MEANS POLICIES WERE ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND IT WAS GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.

>> I HAVE TO RESPOND.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> HE TOOK A SHOT AT ME, AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE REALLY KNOWS THE TRUTH, IF HE DOES, HE'S LYING ABOUT IT OR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED, BECAUSE THERE WERE ATTORNEYS THAT WERE REPRESENTING THE MARICOPA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

EVERY DEPUTY SHERIFF INVOLVED IN THE HUMAN SMUGGLING UNIT, THEY ALL TESTIFIED BEFORE THE COURT, BEFORE JUDGE SNOW THAT JERRY SHERIDAN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.

I NEVER ORDERED ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING RELATED TO THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ISSUE.

PERIOD.

END OF STORY.

TED: ALMOST THE END OF THE STORY.

DO YOU BUY THAT?

>> NO.

NO.

IF YOU'RE -- IF MY OPPONENT WANTS TO CLAIM -- NOT CLAIM THAT HE WAS THE NUMBER TWO AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU HAVE TO BARE THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

HE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE ENTIRE OPERATIONS FOR THE MCSO.

>> ONE COUNTERPOINT.

I WAS TOLD BY MY BOSS, THE SHERIFF IN 2011.

JERRY, I DON'T WANT YOU INVOLVED IN ANYTHING INVOLVED WITH MELENDREZ, HE'D BEEN DEALING WITH THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING.

YOU HAVEN'T.

I DON'T WANT YOU INVOLVED IN IT.

NUMBER THREE WENT RIGHT TO NUMBER ONE.

YOU MAY NOT KNOW HOW THINGS WORK IN UPPER COMMAND BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T THERE, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION AND YOU BRING ANYBODY IN HERE AND THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

TED: I WANT TO GET ON CHARACTER ISSUES HERE AND THE QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU.

REPORTS OF SEXUALLY HARASSING A ROOKIE DEPUTY AT PHOENIX PD.

REPORTS OF BEING SUSPENDED FOR IMPROPERLY ACCESSING CONFIDENTIAL DATABASE.

WHY SHOULD VOTERS IN MARICOPA COUNTY WANT SOMEONE LIKE THAT IN CHARGE OF THE COUNTY'S LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY?

>> THE ALLEGATION WAS MADE SIX MONTHS AFTER I RETIRED FROM THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THIS WAS AN ALLEGATION MADE BY HR.

MY COLLEAGUE DID NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS INVESTIGATION.

DID NOT SIGN OFF ON THIS INVESTIGATION.

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS NEVER COMPLETED AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT IF IT WAS COMPLETED, I WILL BE FOUND NOT RESPONSIBLE JUST LIKE THE OTHER TWO PEOPLE LISTED IN THAT COMPLAINT.

IN REFERENCE TO THE DATABASE, THIS WAS ADMINISTRATIVE INFRACTION ON MY PART.

SOMEBODY NEEDED INFORMATION, HIS OWN INFORMATION, I PROVIDED THAT.

THAT WAS 12 YEARS AGO.

WHEN I REFLECT ON MY CAREER, I'M PROUD OF MY CAREER, I RETIRED HONORABLY.

I HAD OVER 60 ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STANDING POLICE WORK, AWARDED EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH 13 DIFFERENT TIMES.

AWARDED MEDAL OF VALOR.

EXCELLENCE AWARD BY THE CITY OF PHOENIX AS WELL AS THE EXCELLENCE AWARD BY THE ARIZONA GANG INVESTIGATORS ASSOCIATION.

IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY BODY OF WORK, I'M VERY PROUD OF MY BODY OF WORK AND PLAN TO TAKE MY EXPERIENCES WITH ME TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

TED: FOR YOU, MR. SHERIDAN, JUDGE SNOW FOUND YOU IN CONTEMPT OF COURT, FAILED TO MEET STANDARDS, DERELICTION OF DUTY.

WHY WOULD MARICOPA COUNTY VOTERS WOULD YOU IN CHARGE OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH THAT ON YOUR RESUME?

>> I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE.

THOSE ISSUES OF ME GETTING INVOLVED IN THE MELENDREZ CASE AFTER THIS THING WAS SEVEN YEARS ALONG, WHAT THE JUDGE FOUND WAS THAT SINCE I WASN'T AWARE OF HIS PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, HE FOUND THAT UNBELIEVABLE.

HE DIDN'T LIKE THAT, AND HE WAS ANGRY AT ME ABOUT THAT.

HE ALSO WANTED ME TO DISCIPLINE SOME OF MY DEPUTIES, ABOUT 45 OF THEM, FOR POLICIES THAT DIDN'T EXIST WHEN THEY DID IT, AND I REFUSED TO DO IT.

SO YES, I STOOD MY GROUND FOR MY DEPUTIES.

THE CHIEF DEPUTY'S JOB, AND I KNEW AT THE TIME I WAS GOING TO TAKE HITS FOR IT, AND I THINK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY WANT A LEADER THAT IS NOT AFRAID TO DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN THE RIGHT THING NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND IF THAT IS DISAGREEING WITH THE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE AND SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT, SO BE IT.

BUT ALSO, LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE T.O.C.

CERTIFICATION.

THAT'S A FELONY.

WHEN YOU USE THE POLICE INFORMATION FOR NONOFFICIAL INVESTIGATIONS, THAT IS A FEDERAL FELONY, AND PEOPLE GET FIRED FOR THAT.

TED: RESPONSE PLEASE.

>> YEAH, IT'S NOT A FELONY, AND IT WAS A MINOR ADMINISTRATIVE INFRACTION, AND IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT CRIMES OR CONTEMPT OF COURT, MY OPPONENT LIED UNDER OATH SIX DIFFERENT TIMES TO JUDGE SNOW.

SIX TIMES.

HE WAS FOUND CONTEMPT OF COURT FOR THAT.

ALSO FOUND CONTEMPT OF COURT FOR CONCEALING EVIDENCE FOR EMPLOYEES HE KNOWS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS HE KNOWS.

IF MY OPPONENT TRIED TO GET A JOB AS A POLICE OFFICER ANYWHERE IN ARIZONA, HE COULD NOT GET HIRED BECAUSE OF THOSE INFRACTIONS.

TED: RESPOND.

>> NONE OF THAT IS TRUE.

THAT'S MY RESPONSE.

NONE OF THAT IS ACCURATE.

TED: ARE YOU NOT ON THE BRADY LIST?

>> I AM ON THE BRADY LIST, CERTAINLY.

I'VE NEVER DENIED THAT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE BRADY LIST, I WAS PUT ON THE BRADY LIST, TED, FIVE YEARS AFTER I WAS RETIRED.

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNHEARD OF.

I WAS A PRIVATE CITIZEN JUST LIKE YOU AND PUT ON THAT BRADY LIST FOR SOMETHING THAT ALLEGEDLY HAPPENED.

IT WAS A -- WHETHER I REMEMBERED SOMETHING CORRECTLY OR NOT, THAT WAS THE GIST OF THIS WHOLE THING, AND I ACTUALLY APPEALED THAT ORDER FROM THE JUDGE TO THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT ON MY OWN BECAUSE I WAS NOT UNTRUTHFUL AT ANY TIME, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE A POLYGRAPH TO THAT.

IF TYLER WOULD TAKE A POLYGRAPH TO ALL THE ISSUES THAT HE'S GOT FACING HIM.

TED: ALL RIGHT, GENTLEMEN, WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES COVERED HERE, BUT OUR TIME IS UP.

I WANT TO THANK YOU, BOTH CANDIDATES.

TIME NOW FOR CLOSING STATEMENTS AND GOING IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, WE START WITH TYLER KAMP.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

THE QUESTION IS WHO DO YOU TRUST?

WHO DO YOU TRUST TO COMPLY WITH THE COURT ORDERS AND GRADUATE FROM THEM?

THE COURT ORDEREDS THAT COST THE TAXPAYERS OVER $350 MILLION?

WHO DO YOU TRUST NOT TO ABUSE THE POWER OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND NOT TO COVER UP MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS?

SOMEBODY WHO IS HEAD OF OPERATIONS FOR MCSO WHEN THE COURT ORDERS WERE ISSUED?

SOMEBODY WHO LIED UNDER OATH SIX TIMES AND COVERED UP CONCEALED EVIDENCE FROM THE JUDGE AND FOUND CONTEMPT OF COURT OR HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF GETTING THINGS DONE IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS.

I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THE RACE WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF DISMANTLING CRIME ORGANIZATIONS AS A CRIME FIGHTER WITH DIPLOMATIC EXPERIENCE OVERSEAS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND FAITH-BASED GROUPS TO DRIVE THE MISSION OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

THANK YOU.

TED: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND NOW THE CLOSING STATEMENT FROM JERRY SHERIDAN.

>> THANKS, TED.

SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES GO BACK AND FORTH.

I'M TELLING YOU I WAS NEVER UNTRUTHFUL, NEVER DID ANY OF THE THINGS HE THREW OUT THERE, AND THINK ABOUT IT, THIS DEBATE HERE IS NOT ABOUT ME.

IT'S NOT ABOUT TYLER.

IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SERVE AS A SHERIFF.

I SPENT 40 YEARS OF MY LIFE THERE.

I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE INSIDE AND OUT.

THE REASON I'M RUNNING IS THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE WANTED ME TO BECAUSE THEY KNOW OF MY LEADERSHIP ABILITIES AND WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE.

I CAN GO INTO MCSO ON DAY ONE, WHICH THE NEW SHERIFF IS GOING TO TAKE OVER PROBABLY NOVEMBER 15.

I CAN DO THAT.

I COULD GO THERE AFTER THIS DEBATE AND BEGIN TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES.

POSITIVE CHANGES FOR STOPPING DANGEROUS DRUGS, FOR MAKING A SAFER JAIL FOR PEOPLE.

MAKING IT SAFER FOR PEOPLE OUT IN THE FIELD.

I WANT TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE AND I ALSO WANT TO WORK HARD TO KEEP OUR ANIMALS SAFE.

THAT'S WHO JERRY SHERIDAN REALLY IS.

TED: CANDIDATES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU TO OUR CANDIDATES AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OUR DEBATE.

OUR NEXT "ARIZONA HORIZON" WILL BE TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 AS WE HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," AND YOU CAN WATCH ALL OF OUR SHOWS LIVE ON ARIZONA PBS.ORG OR STREAMED LIVE ON YouTube AND FACEBOOK.

THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.