This Sheriff’s Office Says Racial Profiling Reforms Are Too Costly. Auditors Found It Misused $163 Million.
A court-mandated audit revealed that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office misused $163 million intended for racial profiling reforms. The audit found that over 70% of the funds were misattributed or misappropriated, raising concerns about the department's credibility. Despite ongoing racial disparities in traffic stops, officials have called for an end to the settlement aimed at addressing these issues.
- ▪The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office misused $163 million designated for racial profiling reforms.
- ▪Auditors found that more than 70% of the funds were misattributed or misappropriated.
- ▪The county has approved $353 million in spending related to the settlement since 2013.
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The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office misused $163 million intended to address racial profiling reforms, according to a court-mandated audit. This Sheriff’s Office Says Racial Profiling Reforms Are Too Costly. Auditors Found It Misused $163 Million. Since 2013, Maricopa County officials have approved $226 million in sheriff’s office spending related to a settlement aimed at rooting out racial profiling. Auditors found that more than 70% of it was misattributed or misappropriated. by Rafael Carranza, Arizona Luminaria, and Gabriel Sandoval, ProPublica, illustrations by Shoshana Gordon, ProPublica Co-published with Arizona Luminaria May 21, 2026, 5:00 am {"componentName":"ShareToolsRebrand","props":{"pageTitle":"This Sheriff’s Office Says Racial Profiling Reforms Are Too Costly.
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