Residents and deputies press Pima County supervisors to seek sworn reports from sheriff amid allegations

Dozens of residents, county deputies and advocates used the board’s public-comment period to press the Pima County Board of Supervisors for action after news reports and public records raised questions about Sheriff Chris Nanos’s past job history and conduct.

The most pointed calls came from Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Deputies Organization, who told the board the union’s membership voted “no confidence” in the sheriff and urged supervisors to use “every authority vested in you” to pursue accountability. “He has lost the faith of his deputies and the community,” Cross said. “Chris Nanos must show the integrity he once swore to uphold.”

Why it matters: Commenters and county staff framed the issue as a public-safety and trust question: multiple speakers cited a recently reported El Paso work history of suspensions and alleged misconduct they say were not disclosed, and at least one speaker alleged sworn misstatements in a deposition. Supervisors said the board has legal tools to request sworn reports and to require bonds from county officers under Arizona law.

What the board did: After executive-session discussion, Chair Allen moved — and the board approved unanimously — a directive to outside counsel to draft language to request reports aligned with Arizona Revised Statutes §11-253(A). The motion instructs lawyers to return with recommended language at the board’s April 7 meeting; the statute allows the board to require county officers to make reports under oath and to require additional bonds for faithful performance. The motion passed 5–0.

Claims and responses: Members of the public alleged the sheriff omitted adverse employment actions and disciplinary history and, in some cases, lied under oath; deputies and union leaders called for resignation or removal. The board did not act as a disciplinary body at the meeting but authorized counsel to prepare a formal, statutory report request. No direct public exoneration or defense from the sheriff’s office was included on the record during this meeting.

What’s next: The board asked outside counsel to return with draft language and an executive-session agenda item for April 7. At that later meeting the board will consider whether to require sworn reports under ARS 11-253 and any subsequent steps.

Representative comments:

“Chris Nanos must show the dignity that the office requires. He must resign. If he will not, then I ask this board charged with oversight to exercise every authority vested in you,” Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Deputies Organization, said during public comment.

“I will ask outside counsel to draft language to request reports from the sheriff aligned with ARS 11-253(A),” Chair Allen said after executive-session discussion; the board approved the motion unanimously.

Ending: The board did not remove the sheriff at this meeting; instead it took a procedural step to request sworn reports under state statute and scheduled the matter to return to the board on April 7.