The Pima County Board of Supervisors wants Sheriff Chris Nanos to give sworn testimony on his work history, leadership, and immigration enforcement.
Nanos has been given 10 business days to provide either a written or verbal response, a deadline that coincides with the Board’s next scheduled meeting on April 21.
The move, initiated by Vice-Chair Matt Heinz, utilizes Arizona Revised Statute 11-253 Section A, which empowers the Board to demand information from county officers regarding the duties of their office.
The move follows a unanimous action taken by the supervisors in a March 24 meeting, directing an independent attorney to draft the language and questions for Nanos to answer to.
The March 24 vote coincided with an overwhelming vote of "no confidence" from the county’s deputies’ union.
The latest action centers on four specific areas of concern that have emerged through recent media reports and internal county updates: work history, personnel discipline, immigration enforcement and budget management.
Questions were raised regarding the “impartiality and consistency" of disciplinary actions involving former sheriff candidate Lt. Heather Lappin and union leader Sgt. Aaron Cross, according to Chair Jennifer Allen.
The board is asking Nanos to describe steps taken to prevent the appearance of "retaliatory or uneven enforcement" against employees in political or protected activities.
Nanos’ report must detail communications and coordination between the sheriff’s department and federal immigration officials since 2021.
Following the board meeting, Heinz noted concerns to reporters regarding whether deputies have "tricked" families into waiting for Border Patrol custody when no criminal statutes were violated, according to the American Civil Liberties Union suit against the department.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said in an email Tuesday evening that Nanos had not yet received the questions from the supervisors.
“Upon receipt of any such questions, the Sheriff will respond within the appropriate time allowed,” the email said.
While Nanos previously said in a statement to Arizona Public Media that he would cooperate, Heinz clarified that a failure to provide a "substantive" response could lead the Board to declare the office vacant.
"I believe that this board would be well within our legal rights to... vacate that office and remove him if he doesn't comply with the statute," Heinz said.
He added that even if a response is provided, the Board could still pursue a resolution of "lack of confidence" if they are dissatisfied with the answers.
The sheriff will also have to explain why his department has repeatedly exceeded its budget and what measures are being taken to address these financial issues in future cycles.
Recent scrutiny follows reports of previously undisclosed disciplinary records from Nanos' tenure with the El Paso Police Department in the late 1970s and early 1980s and Nanos’ management of the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie.
Guthrie is the 84-year-old mother of “TODAY” show host Savannah Guthrie. Investigators suspect she was taken from her Catalina Foothills home against her will during the early morning hours of February 1. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is the lead agency handling the case and a suspect has yet to be publicly identified.
Savannah Guthrie returned to work on Monday, marking her first time behind the anchor desk since her mother’s disappearance.
Sheriff’s history of discipline in El Paso
The Arizona Republic uncovered records that includes allegations of Nanos beating a handcuffed suspect with a flashlight during his stint in El Paso, an incident that reportedly led to a suspension. Nanos was not indicted for the incident.
The most significant entry, dated July 21, 1982, indicates that Nanos submitted a "resignation in lieu of termination" following allegations of insubordination and inefficiency.
Records appearing to be from the El Paso Police Department reveal a series of disciplinary actions against Nanos between 1977 and 1982.
The documents showing Nanos’ personnel records were provided with the board’s March 24 addendum agenda, listing numerous allegations, including gambling, insubordination, and excessive force, with several resulting in one-day or three-day suspensions.
The board’s investigation into Nanos’ leadership is also incurring costs for taxpayers. Because the Pima County Attorney’s Office is conflicted, the board is using outside counsel to draft and review the inquiry.
Heinz estimated that legal fees for both the Board and the Sheriff’s own outside counsel already reach into the "tens of thousands of dollars."
