Ethiopian Review

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office sent more than a dozen officers to county computer rooms in its Wednesday raids and takeover of a computer system that interlinks police and court agencies.

The MCSO sent deputies and others to county offices and told computer technicians who operate the Integrated Criminal Justice Information System that the Sheriff’s Office was taking over the system.

The $25 million computer system allows law enforcement, prosecutors, probation officers, public defenders and the courts to communicate with one another electronically. County officials familiar with the MCSO takeover of the system said the sheriff’s officers showed up Wednesday told computer technicians to step aside, posted officers at entrances and exits, and took over “management control” of the system.

One official, who asked not be identified, said it was intimidating to have such a significant number of MCSO officers show up. Some of the deputies were armed, he said.

The computer system is more of an electronic communication link among various agencies than a database. It has handled more a half-billion information movements since its inception in 2005.

The MCSO contends it was worried about the integrity of the computer system, which has seen budget cuts in recent years. Sheriff Joe Arpaio has sought to take control of the system and has been battling the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in court over who controls it.

The board is asking the Maricopa County Superior Court to block the takeover. A hearing is set for Friday afternoon.

The MCSO changed the passwords for access to the computer system, but cannot access other agencies’ databases, according to the county official.

By Mike Sunnucks | bizjournals