Tyler Kampf, a 24-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department, is running for Maricopa County Sheriff as a Democrat and hopes to continue the legacy of former Sheriff Paul Penzone.

Penzone, a Democrat, took control of the department after defeating longtime Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2016. resigned in January. Mr. Penzone was replaced by Russ Skinner, who was appointed on an interim basis, but Mr. Skinner lost in the Democratic primary to Mr. Kampf, who had staked his bid to remain in power.

According to the latest campaign report, Republican Jerry Sheridan spent $292,318 As of July 13th, Mr. Kamp spent $23,766.. The next cash activity report is expected to be released on October 15th for the third quarter.

Kampf is running a campaign to lay the groundwork for Penzone.

Kampf said he was raised to serve a purpose greater than himself.

It’s this mindset that motivated the fifth-generation Maricopa County resident to join the Phoenix Police Department at age 22, and continues to drive him as a church elder and Sunday school teacher. It’s a mentality he tries to instill in his four children with his wife of 25 years.

After more than 20 years on the job, years of fighting overseas human trafficking and nonprofit work, a retired police lieutenant is looking to serve as Maricopa County sheriff.

Kampf said his goal is to lead the sheriff’s office with accountability and integrity. His goals include tackling employee retention, expanding mental health resources for staff, reducing in-custody deaths and improving crime data analysis.

But as Election Day approaches, the race between Kump and Republican Jerry Sheridan is bringing attacks from both sides stemming from each other’s pasts. In July, ABC15 Arizona reported on a city investigation that confirmed the following claims: Kamp sent sexually harassing text messages to female colleagues. The investigation was completed after Kampf retired, but he was not disciplined. Kampf acknowledged other personnel issues during a September debate, including improper database searches and use of a vehicle, but maintained he had never committed sexual harassment.

Political action committees opposed to Sheridan and Kampf are leaning toward Kampf’s claims of wrongdoing.

Whoever is elected sheriff will be responsible for steering the sheriff out of a decade of court oversight. In a 2008 lawsuit, Sheriff’s Office Targets Latino Drivers in Traffic Stops. U.S. District Judge Murray Snow issued a ruling in 2013 requiring court oversight.

Kump alleges Sheridan is complicit in the department’s controversial actions and lawsuits that have cost county taxpayers more than $300 million. The Associated Press reported in May.

The Valley native spoke at a news conference as MCSO nears a 10-year court oversight agreement. September 25th debate He said he would further strengthen Penzone’s tenure and ensure the agency does not “revert to the days of my adversary and Joe Arpaio.”

Collaboration and staffing are key

Kampf said that before Penzone served as sheriff, MCSO operated “in a silo.”

“I don’t think it’s effective. I think we need to work with other organizations,” Kampf said in a phone interview.

Kampf said he wants to ensure the sheriff’s office continues to strengthen collaboration with other public safety organizations, particularly the Arizona Counterterrorism Information Center. ACTIC operates 24/7 to provide intelligenceinvestigative and technical support to state, local, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies.

As of April, the department had reduced its number of deputies by 112, leaving approximately 22% of MCSO positions vacant. According to Arizona’s family.

While Sheridan blames Penzone’s poor leadership, Kamp believes the significant turnover and vacancies are a result of Arpaio’s reign and court-ordered oversight.

“What was needed to change course from what was happening years ago was another layer of bureaucracy,” Kampf said. “But now we are suffering. They are still suffering the effects of the court order.”

Kamp specifically cited pay structures and a backlog of misconduct investigations as threats to staff morale. His goal is to work with the county Board of Supervisors to increase pay and benefits, as well as establish a clinic to address the mental health needs of MCSO employees.

a 2020 study published in collaboration with American Medical Association It found that 17% of the 434 law enforcement officers surveyed had sought help for mental health issues in the past year. The study identifies four barriers to help-seeking.

• Not being able to recognize when someone is suffering from a mental illness.
• Confidentiality concerns.
• The belief that psychologists are not connected to their profession.
• The stigma that police officers seeking mental health services are unfit for duty.

Kampf said he believes the stigma around mental health assistance has diminished within law enforcement, but a walk-in clinic would further reduce that stigma. But what will the price be for the county?

“We will look at the budget. I know there has been federal funding in the past,” Kampf said.

fiscal year Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act Program of 2024 This funding will be used to improve the delivery and access of mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through implementation of peer support, training, family resources, suicide prevention, and other wellness programs.

“We may have to get creative, but I think it’s important and it’s a priority for me,” Kampf said.

MCSO prison mortality rate tops in US

According to Investigation by Arizona RepublicMCSO’s prison mortality rate is among the highest in the country. As of August this year, there were 18 deaths in custody. In 2023, 43 people died in prison, and in 2022, another 43 people died.

Kamp said improved staffing can help inform solutions to preventing deaths in custody, but it’s not the only answer.

Kampf said he wants to introduce medical bracelets and form a task force to investigate deaths and body scanners in all prisons to prevent drugs such as fentanyl from entering prisons. .

Currently, MCSO has a prison crime detective. Handles inmate death investigations.

The body scanners are being introduced after a former MCSO detention officer admitted to bringing drugs into the prison facility, officials said.

The former employee Sentenced to two years in prison in March After admitting to bringing methamphetamine and fentanyl into Lower Buckeye Prison in 2022.

In response to the incident, Penzone announced that MCSO will purchase and install body scanners in prisons that both inmates and correctional staff will pass through.

Investigation of Sexual Misconduct, Improper Use of Resources

Kampf’s time with the Phoenix Police Department included numerous honors, including the Medal of Valor and more than a dozen Employee of the Month awards, but his career is tainted by accusations and at least two reprimands.

Kampf was suspended in 2014 for using a confidential law enforcement database without a legitimate purpose and reprimanded in 2013 for repeatedly using a city vehicle for personal use. ABC15 reported.

Employee records show the officer told his supervisor in early 2022 that he was being harassed by Kampf, which led to a formal complaint with the police department and the city’s Office of Equal Opportunity handling the investigation.

Text messages show Kampf talked to the officer about sex and also made comments about her body.

The alleged incidents occurred in 2020 and 2021, but the investigation was handled after Kampf left the department. A city investigation determined the victim’s accusations were substantiated.

City records show a rookie police officer filed the complaint after receiving a text message from Kampf, who was then appointed as a lieutenant. A lieutenant is two ranks higher than a police officer or detective.

Kamp’s campaign declined to comment on any wrongdoing in an interview. But Kampf said in an emailed statement that the investigation was “incomplete.”

“The investigation was conducted after I left the department and did not result in any post-disciplinary action,” the statement said. “Additionally, this complaint was not raised by the individual with whom I was communicating.”

In the second debate against Sheridan, Kampf denied having sexually harassed him.

Kampf said in a statement that he apologized for the email exchanges, which were disrespectful to his wife and family.

“The fact of the matter is that all of this pales in comparison to the $300 million that Jerry Sheridan’s misdeeds cost Maricopa County taxpayers, his contempt of court, his lies under oath, his destruction of evidence, and his unconstitutional attacks on the Latino community. ,” the statement said.