(The Center Square) – There’s a new sheriff in town in Maricopa County.
Russ Skinner, previously serving as chief deputy sheriff, was sworn in on Thursday morning after being appointed by the Board of Supervisors. He is replacing Democrat Paul Penzone, who stepped down last month.
“I look forward to serving the community,” Skinner said at a news conference.
The law requires that the vacancy be filled by someone of the same party. Skinner switched his registration from Republican to Democrat.
“Russ is taking a pay cut, and he wants to do that willingly. He wants to step into the breach of public service, and I applaud him for it,” Supervisor Clint Hickman said.
The board voted for him 4-1, with Steve Gallardo, the only Democrat on the board, voting against him.
“The people of Maricopa County made it crystal clear in 2016: they were done with Joe Arpaio—done with the way he’d politicized the office, wasted money, put the county at legal risk, and unfairly and cruelly targeted communities of color,” Gallardo said in a statement explaining his vote. “They voted for Democrat Paul Penzone because they wanted their trust in MCSO restored. I believe the former sheriff made important progress in his seven years in office, but there’s still a long way to go. Ultimately, voters will decide who leads this organization long-term.”
However, Skinner will only serve until a new sheriff is elected in November unless he decides to run and wins. He said he is unsure if he’ll pursue a bid at this point.
Skinner has been with the county for decades, including through the years when Republican Joe Arpaio was sheriff, which ended in 2017. Arpaio’s leadership still looms over the sheriff’s department, as it remains under intense federal oversight.
At the news conference, the new sheriff clarified that he has no plans to bring back pink underwear and tent city, two hallmarks of the Arpaio years that were quickly shot down when Penzone took office. In addition, he addressed concerns about maintaining order during election season, as the politically competitive county continues to be a hub of civil action related to voting processes.
“We have to get past the anger, the separation, the polarization,” Skinner said.
