The Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) is a key law enforcement agency serving the unincorporated areas of Pima County, Arizona, the seventh largest county in the United States. Headquartered at 1650 E. Benson Hwy, Tucson, Arizona, the department operates six district offices and three satellite offices, providing a range of services to ensure public safety and community well-being. Led by Sheriff Chris Nanos, who was elected in 2020 and brings over four decades of law enforcement experience, the PCSD employs approximately 516 sworn officers, 872 civilian and corrections personnel, and is supported by over 400 volunteers.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pima_County_Sheriff%27s_Department)[](https://pimasheriff.org/about-us/organization)
The department’s mission emphasizes serving with honor, courage, and integrity while fostering community safety through advanced community policing and direct supervision of detention facilities. PCSD’s operations include patrol services, criminal investigations (focusing on violent crimes, sex crimes, and narcotics interdiction), and a Corrections Bureau managing four facilities that house an average of 1,850 inmates daily. The department maintains a rapid emergency response time, averaging 4.3 minutes for 90% of emergencies and 5.3 minutes overall.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pima_County_Sheriff%27s_Department)[](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pima-county-sheriff%25E2%2580%2599s-department)
PCSD is a leader in innovative law enforcement practices, having established the Pima County/Tucson Metropolitan Counter Narcotics Alliance and the first Border Crime Unit, a multi-agency task force addressing illegal human and drug trafficking. The department also pioneered mandatory drug testing, including hair testing, for employees and applicants. Additionally, PCSD operates a regional Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy, established in 2006, which trains deputies and officers from various local agencies and the U.S. Air Force. The department has implemented Advanced Crisis Intervention Training (C.I.T.) for its personnel and oversees an interoperable regional public safety communications system, supported by a $92 million bond.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pima_County_Sheriff%27s_Department)
Community engagement is a cornerstone of PCSD’s approach, with programs like child safety seat inspections, neighborhood watch, Dispose-A-Med, document shredding, fingerprint services, Rape Aggression Defense classes, and the Badges and Backpacks initiative. The department also manages civil enforcement, including serving court orders and collecting delinquent property taxes, and provides victim services in collaboration with the Pima County Attorney’s Office.[](https://www.mapquest.com/us/arizona/pima-county-sheriff-department-262234213)[](https://pimasheriff.org/services/civil-enforcement)[](https://pimasheriff.org/about-us/community-partners)
The PCSD oversees the Pima County Adult Detention Complex and Ajo District Jail, offering inmate services such as visitation, phone, and tablet access, and maintains a state-of-the-art records system for public access to inmate and police reports. The department’s commitment to transparency is evident through its online Desk Officer Reporting System (DORS) for non-emergency incidents and an inmate roster respecting the rights of the accused.[](https://pimasheriff.org/crime-map-stats/dors)[](https://www.pimasheriff.org/jail-info/pima-county-jail)
With a focus on professionalism, accountability, and community partnerships, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department continues to innovate in crime prevention, public safety, and detention management, making it a vital institution in Pima County.[](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pima-county-sheriff%25E2%2580%2599s-department)
The department used to be what is listed above. Sadly, no longer. The “leadership” is comprised of incompetent ass kissers that have absolutely destroyed the place. Morale is at an all time low. Staffing is terrible and filled with poorly trained deputies that they rushed through the academy. The changes made and upcoming changes are because of a beta male Sheriff and Chief. They can’t keep any knowledgeable deputies or Sgts, who retire early or lateral to another department. People are promoted for friendships or by throwing others under the bus. I could go on forever but why has it gotten this bad? Chris Nanos. He is completely incompetent. Nearly every word out of his mouth is a lie. In public, he seems like a soft spoken man with a big heart. Couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, he is a short tempered, incompetent, angry little man. He and his cronies attack anyone with dissenting opinions, making up erroneous investigations on people with differing opinions, and even claiming unfounded criminal acts on political opponents. They violate their employees rights and couldn’t care less how it effects them. Only thing he (and they) care about is power. Damn shame.
1. Leadership/Admin
Unfit Deputies/Detectives are being appointed as Sergeants. I don’t feel comfortable at all expressing my frustrations with this department without fear of retaliation. Nanos has no clue who his deputies are and fails to lead from the front, completely failing the department.
2. The great deputies/detectives are the only sense of morale within this department.
3. There’s barely enough vehicles for patrol.
4. Senior Deputies are either leaving to DPS due to Department retention failure, or promoting which hurts patrol, leaving 3 year Deputies being seniors in busy districts.
7/18/25
The department, under current Sheriff Chris Nanos, is a corrupt mess, despite the shiny social media. Previous sheriffs, specifically Clarence Dupnik, created an amazing agency that was loved and respected. The deputies still do a great job in spite of command, but they are under constant threat of retaliation, suspension, and abuse from their superiors.
Nanos promoted the worst, most incompetent people in the department as his chiefs and captains in 2020 and they immediately began purging their “enemies” from influential positions, despite the fact that they were the best leaders and instructors in the department. Deputies are routinely punished for doing their jobs, even if they don’t violate policy, if a commander just doesn’t like how they did it. If a deputy is even RUMORED to have said something mildly critical of command, he/she will be stripped of any special assignments and transferred to an unfavorable position. Discipline is given out left and right.
Nanos has been Federally investigated, had a previous chief indicted federally, another commit suicide before he could be indicted, a sergeant friend sentenced to prison for raping a deputy, and is now being sued and investigated by the state for improper investigation/cover up. He is the worst sheriff in Arizona.
Deputies are currently fleeing the agency to other departments or retiring as soon as possible. The academy has been reduced to a non-stress cakewalk and anyone with a heartbeat and driver’s license is being hired to fill the gaps. They are then being trained by brand-new FTO’s with less than 5 years of experience. Units are being run by brand new sergeants with no experience in that area.
They have a large Community Resources Unit whose sole job is to make him look good to the public and media, but if you scratch the surface, the rot is easy to see. One needs only to speak with a deputy on patrol to find out.
Combined with some of the lowest pay in the Tucson area, this agency is a disaster and getting worse every week. Do not come here. You have been warned.
Rating Breakdown
1/5
1.3/5
3.3/5
1.7/5
3 Reviews on “Pima County Sheriff's Department”
The department used to be what is listed above. Sadly, no longer. The “leadership” is comprised of incompetent ass kissers that have absolutely destroyed the place. Morale is at an all time low. Staffing is terrible and filled with poorly trained deputies that they rushed through the academy. The changes made and upcoming changes are because of a beta male Sheriff and Chief. They can’t keep any knowledgeable deputies or Sgts, who retire early or lateral to another department. People are promoted for friendships or by throwing others under the bus. I could go on forever but why has it gotten this bad? Chris Nanos. He is completely incompetent. Nearly every word out of his mouth is a lie. In public, he seems like a soft spoken man with a big heart. Couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, he is a short tempered, incompetent, angry little man. He and his cronies attack anyone with dissenting opinions, making up erroneous investigations on people with differing opinions, and even claiming unfounded criminal acts on political opponents. They violate their employees rights and couldn’t care less how it effects them. Only thing he (and they) care about is power. Damn shame.
1. Leadership/Admin
Unfit Deputies/Detectives are being appointed as Sergeants. I don’t feel comfortable at all expressing my frustrations with this department without fear of retaliation. Nanos has no clue who his deputies are and fails to lead from the front, completely failing the department.
2. The great deputies/detectives are the only sense of morale within this department.
3. There’s barely enough vehicles for patrol.
4. Senior Deputies are either leaving to DPS due to Department retention failure, or promoting which hurts patrol, leaving 3 year Deputies being seniors in busy districts.
7/18/25
The department, under current Sheriff Chris Nanos, is a corrupt mess, despite the shiny social media. Previous sheriffs, specifically Clarence Dupnik, created an amazing agency that was loved and respected. The deputies still do a great job in spite of command, but they are under constant threat of retaliation, suspension, and abuse from their superiors.
Nanos promoted the worst, most incompetent people in the department as his chiefs and captains in 2020 and they immediately began purging their “enemies” from influential positions, despite the fact that they were the best leaders and instructors in the department. Deputies are routinely punished for doing their jobs, even if they don’t violate policy, if a commander just doesn’t like how they did it. If a deputy is even RUMORED to have said something mildly critical of command, he/she will be stripped of any special assignments and transferred to an unfavorable position. Discipline is given out left and right.
Nanos has been Federally investigated, had a previous chief indicted federally, another commit suicide before he could be indicted, a sergeant friend sentenced to prison for raping a deputy, and is now being sued and investigated by the state for improper investigation/cover up. He is the worst sheriff in Arizona.
Deputies are currently fleeing the agency to other departments or retiring as soon as possible. The academy has been reduced to a non-stress cakewalk and anyone with a heartbeat and driver’s license is being hired to fill the gaps. They are then being trained by brand-new FTO’s with less than 5 years of experience. Units are being run by brand new sergeants with no experience in that area.
They have a large Community Resources Unit whose sole job is to make him look good to the public and media, but if you scratch the surface, the rot is easy to see. One needs only to speak with a deputy on patrol to find out.
Combined with some of the lowest pay in the Tucson area, this agency is a disaster and getting worse every week. Do not come here. You have been warned.