As a result of policies and practices under former sheriff Joe Arpaio the MCSO has received significant critical media coverage, federal investigation, and judicial oversight.

District One encompasses the cities of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Tempe, along with the Town of Guadalupe and CDP of Sun Lakes.

District Two provides service to the rural areas of Buckeye, Laveen, Mobile, Rainbow Valley, and Tonopah, as well as to the contract cities of Gila Bend and Litchfield Park.

District 4 – covers the unincorporated areas of Anthem, Desert Foothills, New River, Cave Creek, Carefree and Tonto Hills.

The Lake Patrol Division also has a highly specialized dive team which provides underwater recovery services throughout the county.

The Aviation Division is staffed with a Commander, Helicopter and Fixed Wing Chief Pilot, Director of Maintenance, eight sworn Deputies, six Civilians including an Administrative Coordinator.

These helicopters are equipped with FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red), stabilized binoculars, Churchill moving map and an Trakka spotlight.

These helicopters perform direct patrol, search and rescue operations, narcotics surveillance and photo missions.

All canines trained in narcotic detection are capable of finding and aggressively alerting on cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, heroin, and their derivatives.

Our cadaver canine is trained to find and passively alert on decaying human tissues, bones, and fluids.

Canine team members typically work patrol operations during peak activity hours, usually from about 6 PM to 4 AM.

They also augment SWAT operations; provide contractual services for narcotic detection at several local schools; provide narcotic and explosive ordnance detection for not only our office, but for other local, state, and federal agencies; they are on call 7 days a week 24 hours a day, and conduct over 100 public relations demonstrations annually.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has been involved in many controversial acts, lawsuits, and other operations that have been called into question, from alleged racial profiling to jail conditions.