The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office met the Jan. 4 deadline to respond to a Department of Justice (DOJ) report alleging a wide range of civil rights violations by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's agency.
In a 29-page letter authorized by Arpaio, the sheriff's office pledged its continued cooperation with the DOJ, but asked for transparency from the federal government with regard to the specific allegations.
“What we want for the Department of Justice to do is play ball,” Arpaio said in a statement. “In other words, provide whatever proof they may have to back their findings - proof which, by the way, they have refused to give to us or to the media. And if they cannot prove their findings, which I suspect to be the case, then stop the political posturing."
A statement from the sheriff's office claims it "will not cower at [the] threat of litigation" from the DOJ.
The DOJ had no immediate comment to the sheriff's letter.
