Sheriff Arpaio Stand’s Down His Dragnets, but…

So at first I read this little item from Fox News in Phoenix and felt mildly concerned. Arizona’s sheriff Joe Arpaio has eased off on his famous traffic patrols in search of undocumented people. That can’t be good, I thought, what else is he up to, right? The reason speculated was that he is being investigated by the Justice Department and doesn’t want to give the feds fodder for their cause.

Three paragraphs into the story, there it was:

“Arpaio angrily disputed that explanation and said his office has been busy lately with other duties, such as preparing his volunteer posse members to patrol mall parking lots during the holiday season.”

Wait, Volunteer Possee? ¿En serio?

Here’s the thing. If Arpaio is  sending his minions, er, agents, um, officers, on  traffic dragnets then the Justice Department can hound him ’till he stops. But volunteers, like the lawn chair Minutemen,  are private citizens free to spend their time patrolling the mall in search of undocumented Christmas shoppers…and plastic handcuffs and faux sheriff’s badges at the toy store. It’s genius and idiotic at the same time. Arpaio’s trained and sanctioned citizen posse is less susceptible to fed scrutiny, but if the undocumented are at the mall, shopping, aren’t they helping Arizona’s recession economy? I have visions of Santa in a camouflage hat…

Another reason for Arpaio’s standing down his official troops is that pro-immigrant activists have taken to the streets with video cameras in hand, looking to capture footage of official racial profiling. The activists are free to do that, and it probably bugs Arpaio to no end. But if the activists follow private citizen posses, the vigilante’s can claim harassment.

Anyway, heres the story, let me know what you think: Arpaio Hasn’t Done Immigration Patrol in 4 Months