Sheriff Paul Penzone of Maricopa County Arizona

1/04/2018

Sheriff Paul Penzone

c/o Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office

550 W Jackson Street

Phoenix, AZ  85003

Dear Sheriff Penzone,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan with a strong interest in learning history and social justice.  In these subjects, I like to learn the need for Civil Rights to be strong in order to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. Sheriff Penzone, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as 37^th Sheriff of Maricopa County to be very inspiring to me.

On January 2017, I enjoyed watching your Swearing-in speech on Youtube because I really liked on how you express the need for criminal justice reform, the need for law enforcement to improve relations with communities, and many others. In your current role as 37^th Sheriff of Maricopa County, I really appreciate on how you are a strong supporter of Civil Rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, expressing the need to reduce racial profiling in law enforcement resources to help protect minorities including immigrants from being oppressed, and expanding on law enforcement resources to help combat against hate-crime to help protect minorities including people who are different.  Your approach on criminal justice reform like expand drug treatment programs to help drug-users get the care they need to reduce drug addiction, establish a commission filled with community organizers including some law enforcement to find ways to improve community police relations in order reduce tensions, end the “Tent City” to reduce law enforcement from abusing inmates, and push for more resources to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get help on dealing with their trauma is common sense.  Another thing that I like about your work as Sheriff of Maricopa County is how you are working hard to find check and balances to protect people’s civil liberties like the fourth amendment which is to protect people form unreasonable search warrants while reduce crime, hiring more women including minorities to work in the sheriff department to improve diversity, and supporting the need for more forensic science including DNA testing to reduce sending an innocent person to jail.  Also I really liked on how you are working to improve morale in the sheriff department by expand training programs to help train law enforcement to find ways to handle a situation instead of abusing people and focus on more community policing to help law enforcement get engage between communities.

Sheriff Penzone, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased.   Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability.  Your role as 37^th Sheriff of Maricopa County gives me motivation to continue to learn history and social justice. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need to make Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform in order to protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others.

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference in your current role as Sheriff.  I’m very proud on how you are working hard to push for criminal justice reform, support Civil Rights, and improve morale in the law enforcement.  You have truly inspired me to work hard on my disability and to continue to learn different subjects especially history with social justice.  I was wondering if you could explain your thoughts on being a sheriff and I hope someday I could meet you because you truly inspire me.  Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, making a great impact in the law enforcement including the community, and inspiring me. I wish you the best to continue to push for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick

 

Sheriff Paul Penzone sent me a picture of himself with a great message