The Latest: Overhaul of Arpaio investigations expected soon

PHOENIX – The Latest on a hearing Friday to examine relaunching several internal investigations into alleged officer misconduct at Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office. (all times local):

2:40 p.m.

A judge plans to order an overhaul of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office within the next week or two as a punishment to his earlier contempt-of-court ruling against the lawman for ignoring court orders in a racial profiling case.

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow revealed his timeline for releasing an overhaul of the sheriff’s internal affairs operations at a hearing Friday that examined how to remedy Arpaio’s contempt violation for ignoring an order to stop his immigration patrols.

The profiling lawsuit that Arpaio lost three years ago has morphed into a contempt case after Arpaio was accused of violating court orders.

The contempt case led a critique of Arpaio’s internal investigations, which have been criticized as fraught with biased decision-making.

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1 a.m.

A judge presiding over Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s racial profiling case is holding a hearing Friday to examine relaunching several internal investigations into alleged officer misconduct at the sheriff’s office.

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow has signalled that he wants an independent party to redo several internal investigations as a remedy to his earlier ruling that found the sheriff to be in civil contempt of court for ignoring an order to stop his immigration patrols.

The profiling case that Arpaio lost three years ago led to the contempt proceeding after Snow accused the sheriff and some of his aides of violating court orders. It morphed into a bruising review of the sheriff’s internal investigations, which have been criticized as fraught with biased decision-making and conflicts of interest.

The civil contempt finding brings the six-term sheriff one step closer to a possible criminal contempt case that could expose him to fines and even jail time.

Snow hasn’t yet imposed punishments but is expected to order an overhaul of internal affairs investigations and create a fund to pay damages to Latinos who were illegally detained when Arpaio ignored the order to stop his immigration patrols.