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Democrats of Greater Tucson with Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos

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What’s Happening?

Democrat Chris Nanos was elected Pima County Sheriff in November 2020, ousting Republican Mark Napier in a tight race. His term ends on January 1, 2025.

He is responsible for a multi-million dollar budget and a department composed of nearly 1,500 highly qualified employees complemented by more than 400 volunteers who provide support.

Tucson broke the record for most homicides in 2021 for a single year with 81 homicides. A crime occurs every 7 minutes (on average) in Pima County. The rate of violent crime (number of crimes) in Pima County is 5.23 per 1,000 residents during a  year.

Throughout his career as Sheriff, Nanos has emphasized criminal investigations, particularly violent crimes, sex crimes, and narcotics interdiction. As the chief law enforcement officer in Pima County, Chris Nanos:

Is responsible for preserving the peace in all the unincorporated areas of the county.

Is responsible for the custody of the county jail and care of prisoners

Serves superior court orders and warrants throughout the county.

Collects of delinquent taxes

Conducts or coordinates search and rescue operations involving the life or health of any person.

Coordinates county law enforcement efforts with those cities and towns located within the county boundaries.

His overall tenure with the Sheriff’s department is 32 years. He was appointed Sheriff from August 2015—2016 and was Chief Deputy from 2014 to August 2015.

Sheriff Chris Nanos was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Before becoming a law enforcement officer he attended the University of Texas – El Paso, majoring in Public Administration/Criminal Justice.  He began his career in law enforcement in 1976 with the El Paso Police Department.  He joined the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in 1984 as a corrections officer and was promoted to deputy the following year.

In December 2020,  the new County Sheriff said he supported background checks at the Pima Gun Show and opposed letting prohibited buyers get guns at the gun show. The current “gun show loophole” allows private sellers to sell guns to prohibited buyers (felons, domestic abusers, etc.) without any I.D. or background check.

Recently, he averted an expected staffing shortage at the Pima County jail. When the Pima County Board of Supervisors passed a vaccine mandate for all employees, 158 corrections officers, about 40% of the staff, had not been vaccinated and were facing termination. He issued a blistering statement on December 13, imploring his officers to get vaccinated. By December 16, Nanos said only 14 staffers said they were not getting vaccinated.

Sheriff Chris Nanos and County Attorney Laura Conover want to do away with the county jail’s cash bond system because they say it is unfair because hundreds of people are being held on low-level nonviolent offenses. “We need it to be about a person and their risk or lack of risk to the community — income should have nothing to do with it,” Convoer said. The cash bond system currently ensures people come back for trial hearings, a problem Nanos says can now be controlled by technology like ankle monitors. “It costs $127 per day, per inmate. I’ve got 1,649 inmates in there today. If I put a monitor on them it’s $15 a day,” said Nanos.

The Sheriff’s Department will be equipped with 800 body-worn cameras after the Board of Supervisors approved a $26.6 million contract to fund the devices.  Sheriff Chris Nanos hopes to have the cameras on deputies by January 1, 2022.

Democrat Chris Nanos was elected Pima County Sheriff in November 2020, ousting Republican Mark Napier in a tight race. His term ends on January 1, 2025.

He is responsible for a multi-million dollar budget and a department composed of nearly 1,500 highly qualified employees complemented by more than 400 volunteers who provide support.

Tucson broke the record for most homicides in 2021 for a single year with 81 homicides. A crime occurs every 7 minutes (on average) in Pima County. The rate of violent crime (number of crimes) in Pima County is 5.23 per 1,000 residents during a  year.

Throughout his career as Sheriff, Nanos has emphasized criminal investigations, particularly violent crimes, sex crimes, and narcotics interdiction. As the chief law enforcement officer in Pima County, Chris Nanos:

Is responsible for preserving the peace in all the unincorporated areas of the county.

Is responsible for the custody of the county jail and care of prisoners

Serves superior court orders and warrants throughout the county.

Collects of delinquent taxes

Conducts or coordinates search and rescue operations involving the life or health of any person.

Coordinates county law enforcement efforts with those cities and towns located within the county boundaries.

His overall tenure with the Sheriff’s department is 32 years. He was appointed Sheriff from August 2015—2016 and was Chief Deputy from 2014 to August 2015.

Sheriff Chris Nanos was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Before becoming a law enforcement officer he attended the University of Texas – El Paso, majoring in Public Administration/Criminal Justice.  He began his career in law enforcement in 1976 with the El Paso Police Department.  He joined the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in 1984 as a corrections officer and was promoted to deputy the following year.

In December 2020,  the new County Sheriff said he supported background checks at the Pima Gun Show and opposed letting prohibited buyers get guns at the gun show. The current “gun show loophole” allows private sellers to sell guns to prohibited buyers (felons, domestic abusers, etc.) without any I.D. or background check.

Recently, he averted an expected staffing shortage at the Pima County jail. When the Pima County Board of Supervisors passed a vaccine mandate for all employees, 158 corrections officers, about 40% of the staff, had not been vaccinated and were facing termination. He issued a blistering statement on December 13, imploring his officers to get vaccinated. By December 16, Nanos said only 14 staffers said they were not getting vaccinated.

Sheriff Chris Nanos and County Attorney Laura Conover want to do away with the county jail’s cash bond system because they say it is unfair because hundreds of people are being held on low-level nonviolent offenses. “We need it to be about a person and their risk or lack of risk to the community — income should have nothing to do with it,” Convoer said. The cash bond system currently ensures people come back for trial hearings, a problem Nanos says can now be controlled by technology like ankle monitors. “It costs $127 per day, per inmate. I’ve got 1,649 inmates in there today. If I put a monitor on them it’s $15 a day,” said Nanos.

The Sheriff’s Department will be equipped with 800 body-worn cameras after the Board of Supervisors approved a $26.6 million contract to fund the devices.  Sheriff Chris Nanos hopes to have the cameras on deputies by January 1, 2022.

More about Democrats of Greater Tucson
Connecting officeholders and candidates with Southern AZ voters and activists.
When & Where
Jan 24, 2022, 12:00pm to 1:00pm Timezone: CST
Digital Event
Free


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