On Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the appointment of an independent monitor and a community advisory board to ensure that controversial Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio is not engaging in racial profiling tactics.
Back in May, U.S. District Judge Murray Snow ruled that Arpaio and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office singled out Latinos and deputies unreasonably prolonged detentions of people who were pulled over, reports ABC News. The case was filed by a small group of Latinos who accused the sheriff's office of violating their constitutional rights and detaining them based on their race.
Although Judge Snow's ruling doesn't bar Arpaio, 81, from enforcing the state's immigration laws, it does impose a long list of restrictions on the sheriff's patrols. For one, the ruling prohibits the selection of "particular communities, locations or geographic areas for targeted traffic enforcement based to any degree on the racial or ethnic composition of the community."
The order also forbids the use of race as a factor in deciding whether to stop a vehicle with a Latino occupant or detaining Latino passengers only on the suspicion that they're in the country illegally.
"In conducting its activities, MCSO shall ensure that members of the public receive equal protection of the law, without discriminating based on actual or perceived race or ethnicity, and in a manner that promotes public confidence," Snow wrote, according to the AP.
Arpaio's office had vehemently opposed the appointment of a monitor, arguing it would force his policy decisions to undergo clearance through the observer and would undercut his authority.
"I have received a copy of the court order and I am in the process of discussing it with our attorneys," Arpaio said in a statement. "We are identifying areas that are ripe for appeal. To be clear, the appointed monitor will have no veto authority over my duties or operations. "
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