Report: Former MCSO chief deputy stopped sex crimes investigation

PHOENIX - The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office conducted an administrative investigation of Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office former Chief Deputy David Hendershott that among other things said he called a stop to an internal affairs investigation for a Valley police department.

Hendershott was Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s right-hand man for years and was facing dozens of allegations involving abuse of power.

While Pinal County’s investigation exonerated him of some charges, it sustained others to include this one: “Issue: Inappropriate termination by David Hendershott of an internal affairs investigation related to the adequacy of sex crimes or other investigations performed by MCSO for the El Mirage Police Department.”

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

The report explained how El Mirage had an agreement with MCSO when it came to sex crimes; the city's police department contracted with MCSO to investigate its sex crimes cases.

In 2008 the El Mirage Police Chief filed a complaint “about the quality of the sex crimes investigations conducted by MCSO."

MCSO promptly launched an internal affairs investigation of its Special Victims Unit to review how they were handling the cases.

The lead investigator said he was looking into “the failure to conduct investigation."

He said one day Hendershott asked him for a ride back to the office and after questioning him about the internal affairs investigation and his progress Hendershott told him to, “…stop the investigation. Put it on your back burner, don't touch it. Put it away."

The investigation only resumed two years later after Hendershott was put on administrative leave due to the allegations prompting PCSO’s administrative investigation.

The big question now is how Hendershott’s actions impacted El Mirage Police Department’s sex crime cases.

Are there still victims seeking justice?

Detective Robert Peoples, a spokesman for the El Mirage Police Department, tells me “We had approximately 75 sex crime cases that needed further follow conducted. We sent MCSO a letter including an audit of these cases. With the sensitive-in-nature information you have provided we would need more time in order to give specifics to your inquiry.”

El Mirage Police tell me this is something that is very important to them and they are looking into the matter diligently.