Frank Milstead is running for Maricopa County sheriff because of his experience in law enforcement in Arizona, but the scars from his tenure are still evident in a recent lawsuit.
Milstead began his career as a police officer, then became commander of the Phoenix Police Department and then served as Mesa Police Chief for five years before being appointed Arizona Department of Public Safety commissioner in 2015 by then-Governor Doug Ducey.
Milstead's career with DPS was marked by his and his department's response to the 2015 shooting on Interstate 10 in Phoenix.
Here's what we know about Milstead and his run for sheriff.
Who is Frank Milstead?
Frank Milstead was born and raised in Phoenix and served in Arizona law enforcement for nearly 40 years.
He served as DPS director for five years with the rank of colonel until his retirement in 2020.
Why is he running for Maricopa County Sheriff?
Throughout his campaign, Milstead has emphasized his tough-on-crime and rebuilding relationships with the community.
On his campaign website, he says he will focus on issues facing Maricopa County, including “immigration crime, fentanyl and human trafficking.”
Milstead echoes the tough-on-crime stance of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Supported Milstead.
His campaign has six focuses: community engagement, a focus on diversifying the sheriff's office and de-escalating tensions, establishing a citizen review board, strengthening border security, expanding school resource officer training and working with businesses to prevent theft.
During the Arizona Clean Elections debate on June 26, Milstead also said he would work to end federal court oversight of the sheriff's office that began as a result of the 2008 Melendrez racial profiling lawsuit while Arpaio was governor.
A federal district court judge ruled in favor of Latino drivers who filed a lawsuit against the sheriff's office for racial profiling, and court oversight of the office has been mandated since 2013.
Milstead said the scrutiny had a “negative effect on morale.” Former Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone cited federal scrutiny as the reason he resigned from his position earlier this year.
With more than 3,000 employees, the sheriff's office is responsible for patrolling the county's unincorporated areas and municipalities without police forces. It also enforces superior court orders and warrants, collects delinquent taxes, coordinates search and rescue efforts, and oversees the county's five jails.
What did Milstead do as Arizona Department of Public Safety director?
When Milstead retired in 2020, former Gov. Doug Ducey praised him for reducing “use of force” incidents, eliminating court delays caused by DPS reporting delays, increasing the efficiency of traffic accident processing and improving hiring diversity.
Milstead's leadership had been called into question following the 2015 arrest of Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., a suspect in a Phoenix freeway shooting that included 11 gunmen.
DPS investigators, under intense public pressure, were accused of rushing to justice and engaging in sloppy policing in an attempt to prosecute those who shot at vehicles on Interstate 10 and other highways in the Valley. Ballistics experts challenged the evidence that led to Merritt's arrest; the challenges led to Merritt's release. Merritt subsequently sued and settled the Maricopa County Attorney's Office in 2016.
Milstead was also warned by the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office in 2019 for speeding above 90 mph in his personal vehicle off-duty on Interstate 17. He later said in a series of social media posts that he regretted his actions and would “learn with remorse.”
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Why is he the target of a new lawsuit?
Lawyers for Leslie Merritt Jr., who was acquitted of the 2015 Interstate 10 shooting, filed a lawsuit July 2 alleging that Milstead falsely accused Merritt.
On June 23, former DPS Director Milstead appeared on 12 News' “Sunday Square Off” where he was interviewed about running for Maricopa County Sheriff in 2024.
Asked about the highway shooting, Milstead said, “Leslie Merritt is still the highway shooter, in my opinion. We took the right person into custody.”
Merritt's attorney, Jason Lamb, argued in the lawsuit that Milstead knowingly made false statements in the interview, perpetuating the false allegations and causing Merritt further emotional distress.
Milstead acknowledged in a television interview that ballistic tests related to the Merritt investigation were administered incorrectly and that the investigation's initial interviews could have been handled better.
“There is ample basis for a lawsuit,” Lam said on July 4.
fall out:Man exonerated in 2015 shooting along I-10 files complaint against former DPS chief
Lamb represented Merritt in the original lawsuit, which was dismissed by a Maricopa County judge in 2016.
The July 2 complaint emphasized that Merritt has not been re-indicted since a judge ruled in August 2020 that he was factually innocent in the shooting.
Merritt was the only person arrested in the shooting, which occurred nearly nine years ago.
What did Milstead do before becoming DPS director?
According to Milstead's LinkedIn account, he began his career with the Phoenix Police Department in 1985 and served for 25 years.
Milstead joined the Mesa Police Department as chief in March 2010 and served there for five years before being appointed Mesa Police Chief by then-Arizona Governor Doug Ducey in 2015.
The year before, Milstead was a candidate for Seattle police chief but stayed in Mesa after Seattle moved on to another candidate.
Milstead's father was also a prominent figure in Arizona law enforcement. What did he do?
Frank Milstead's father, Col. Ralph Milstead, also served as DPS chief and worked for the Phoenix Police Department.
Milstead's father served as DPS director in the 1980s and was known for his clashes with then-Governor Evan Mecum, a controversial figure at the time, The Republic reported.
Ralph Milstead testified as a key witness against Mecum on charges of obstruction of justice during the 1988 gubernatorial impeachment hearings.
Ralph Milstead died in 1996.
Why did Milstead's former same-sex partner apply for a protective order?
In June 2022, a woman who had been living with Milstead as his domestic partner applied for and was granted a protective order against Milstead, citing fears for herself and her children.
According to court documents, the woman alleged that he assaulted, threatened, harassed and stalked her after their relationship ended earlier that year.
Milstead is accused of grabbing her arm and shaking her violently in July 2021, causing severe bruising, according to court documents.
“As a result of this incident and several others, (the woman) became fearful of Mr. Milstead and sought professional psychological counseling and support,” court documents state.
Milstead is accused of threatening the women through approximately 200 phone calls, text messages, emails and in-person visits between April and June 2022, according to the women's statements in court documents.
