ANNUAL REPORT 2002

M A R I C O PA C O U N T Y AT T O R N E Y ’S O F F I C E

RICHARD M. ROMLEY
Maricopa County Attorney

Table of Contents
Message from Rick Romley . . . .

4

County Counsel . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

General Government Bureau

. . . 10

Litigation Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Property & Public Works Bureau

16

Richard M. Romley . . . . . . . . . . 18
Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
More Information . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Maricopa County
“. . .The County
Attorney also
contributes to
excellence in local
government by
providing complete
legal services to the
county, its officers
and political
subdivisions.”
—Mission Statement
Maricopa County
Attorney’s Office

2

Attorney’s Office
a.

Mission Statement

Mission of County Counsel

The Maricopa County Attorney is
dedicated to the vigorous prosecution of
those who commit crimes within the county. As the chief advocate for the State and
the citizens of the community in criminal
matters, the County Attorney seeks to provide the highest quality service and maintain the integrity of the criminal justice
system. Criminals must be held accountable, while assuring that the statutory
rights and emotional needs of victims
and witnesses are properly addressed.
Additionally, the County Attorney seeks to
implement, promote and participate in
programs that reduce crime and enhance
the quality of community life. The County
Attorney also contributes to excellence in
local government by providing complete
legal services to the county, its officers and
various political subdivisions.

The purpose of the Division of
County Counsel is to provide legal advice
and representation to county officers,
administrators and managers so that they
can manage the affairs of the county with
the benefit of excellent, timely and responsive legal advice and representation.

a. Maricopa County Attorney’s
Office main office at 301 W.
Jefferson, Phoenix.
b. County Counsel is located
at 222 N. Central, Suite 1100,
b.

in downtown Phoenix.

3

MESSAGE FROM THE
COUNTY ATTORNEY. . .
am proud to say my office has lived up
to its reputation of being one of the best
prosecutorial offices in the nation. As you
will see in the statistical section of this
annual report, we achieved an 89.9 percent criminal conviction rate this fiscal
year, 5 percent higher than the national
average. I offer my congratulations to the
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office staff
for their dedication to the mission of the
office.
The mission of my office has always
been to “improve the quality of community life.” Being a prosecutor at heart, I often
think of achieving this mission in terms of
convicting dangerous criminals, eradicating blight from our neighborhoods and
supporting legislation designed to
strengthen our laws. Yet, there are many
areas of the Maricopa County Attorney’s
Office that serve to improve the quality of
community life, but are not associated
with criminal trial practice. This year’s
annual report will focus on one division in
my office that dramatically affects the
community without ever issuing a felony
indictment. The Division of County
Counsel, often referred to as the civil division, provides legal advice to every department administered by the county. The
attorneys, paralegals and support staff
who comprise County Counsel might not
fight crime, but virtually every legal opinion issued by County Counsel affects the
quality of life for citizens residing in
Maricopa County.

I

“This year’s annual
report will focus
on one division
in my office that
dramatically affects
the community
without ever
issuing a felony
indictment.”
—Rick Romley
County Attorney

4

Two years ago, the Division of
County Counsel underwent a major reorganization. As a result, each county
department was assigned a Counsel-inCharge who would coordinate the legal
requests of the department. This modification allowed for increased personal attention to the unique needs of a department.
In March 2002, the County Research and
Reporting Department conducted a
Customer Satisfaction Survey of County
Counsel’s clients. Our efforts to provide
honest, timely and professional legal services were rewarded with a 93 percent
approval rating.
Although statistics often validate our
work, they often fail to paint a complete
picture of the people who dedicate their
time and energy to make this office a success. This report will tell as Paul Harvey
says “the rest of the story.”
Sincerely,

Rick Romley
Maricopa County Attorney

COUNTY COUNSEL

n July 2002, the Rodeo and Chediski
wildfires raged out of control in
Northeastern Arizona. A week after they
began, the fires merged and began devouring hundreds of thousands of acres of
National Forest and Apache Reservation
land. The Maricopa County Board of
Supervisors, on behalf of many Maricopa
County departments, wanted to send
equipment and resources to assist firefighters in containing the blaze. Before the
board could put this matter to a vote, the
five supervisors asked for a legal opinion
from the Maricopa County Attorney’s
Division of County Counsel. The board
needed to determine if they had the legal
authority to allocate resources to an emergency situation outside Maricopa County.
A County Counsel attorney researched
Arizona Statutes and in a matter of hours
issued an opinion stating the board could
in fact allocate resources to help contain

I

a.

a. The Rodeo/Chediski wildfire
burned over 400,000 acres
of forest, making it one of the
most destructive fires in Arizona
history.
b.
b. Attorney Chris Keller, Chief
Counsel of the Division of County
Counsel says he is amazed by
the wide range of legal issues his
division handles.

5

Attorney Paul Golab, General
Government Bureau Chief, is best
known for his legal advice and
representation in the creation
of the Maricopa County Stadium
District and the construction
of the Bank One Ballpark.

the fires ravaging Coconino, Apache,
Navajo and Gila Counties. The board then
voted unanimously to send assistance to
the counties. Maricopa County’s help
arrived in time to help stop the flames
from reaching the most densely populated
area in the fire’s path. This is but one
example of the important and often emergency tasks undertaken by out County
Counsel Division.
Rick Romley’s responsibility of representing County Government in the civil
law arena fulfills an important function of
the office, rivaling that of criminal prosecution. On a daily basis, Mr. Romley
through the Division of County Counsel
fulfills his mission by responding to legal
questions asked by the more than 60 sep-

arate departments of Maricopa County
Government. The Board of Supervisors,
Elections
Department,
Parks
and
Recreation Department, Animal Care and
Control, and Maricopa County Integrated
Heath System are some of the departments
that rely on the legal advice and representation of the Division of County Counsel.
Staffed with 35 attorneys, 20 paralegals and 27 support employees, County
Counsel is essentially an in-house law firm
for Maricopa County government. Three
bureaus — General Government, Public
Works and Litigation — function as a
team. Having legal experts only an E-mail
away from their “clients” provides a costeffective service for the state’s most populous county.

The issues County Counsel advises
upon are often in the public spotlight.
Maricopa County departments are entrusted with critical responsibilities, which
demand sound legal counsel. County
Attorney Rick Romley makes client service
and relations a priority for the County
Counsel team. Chief Counsel Chris Keller
and Assistant Chief Counsel Jean Rice
have a staff of skilled communicators and
innovative problem solvers.
Authoring legal opinions in a timely
fashion and keeping departments abreast
of legal developments are part of County
Counsel’s recipe for maintaining strong
communication. The adoption of the
Counsel-in-Charge program has contributed to County Counsel’s effort to maintain clear lines of communication. The
Counsel-in-Charge program mandates the
assignment of a specific attorney to act as

the point of contact for each department.
County departments requiring service are
directed to their Counsel-in-Charge. For
example, the Maricopa County Elections
Department has one initial point of contact
— Deputy County Attorney Jill Kennedy,
General Government Bureau. While Jill is
an expert on election law and works on a
majority of the Election Department’s legal
issues, if the question asked is outside her
scope of expertise, she would refer this
particular question to the Deputy County
Attorney with appropriate knowledge. Jill,
however, would remain in contact with the
assigned attorney and communicate with
the Elections Department.
By collaborating with county departments and instituting programs like
Counsel-in-Charge, County Counsel has
achieved its goal of providing excellent
client service. A survey of County

a.

a. Attorney Jill Kennedy, General
Government Bureau, is considered
County Counsel’s public records
guru. Though most citizens use
the public records law as it was
intended, Jill encounters those
who use the law improperly. For
instance, Jill was able to protect
voters and their privacy and
security, by successfully litigating
Helen Purcell v. Ernest Hancock
et al. In that case there was a
threat to upload voters’ personal
information to the Internet.
b. “County Counsel is a client
service agency,” says Attorney
Jean Rice, Assistant Chief
Counsel. “Client service is our
b.

number one priority.” Jean goes
on to say the Client Satisfaction
Survey proves the Counsel-inCharge program continues to
strengthen attorneys’ relationships with Maricopa County
departments.

7

Counsel’s clients conducted by Maricopa
County Research and Reporting gave
County Counsel a 93 percent overall
approval rating. Departments evaluated
County Counsel’s handling of legal advice
and its litigation services among the highest, awarding both services a 96 percent
satisfaction rating.
“These surveys prove to us that our
legal services are really hitting the mark.
The Division of County Counsel will continue to provide excellent service to
County leaders and their offices. They’d be
hard-pressed to find better legal services
elsewhere,” said County Attorney Rick
Romley.
In addition to working as a team
within the office, County Counsel has
a.

b.

a. Division Coordinator Sylvia
Lopez supervises the dynamic
County Counsel support staff.
c.
b. Paralegal Sonja Kautzman
inputs information into an
automated file management
system she is designing
specifically for County Counsel.
c. The General Government
Bureau meets monthly to
discuss legal trends and share

8

information.

a.

formed partnerships with government
attorneys from other counties in Arizona
and several states, since the legal trends in
one region often predict future legal issues
for Maricopa County. By networking with
other similarly situated attorneys, County
Counsel remains on the cutting edge of an
ever-changing legal environment.
County Counsel attorneys also network with attorneys in the private sector
who contract with the county to handle
cases due to conflicts of interest or the
need for a specific legal expertise. County
Counsel manages the case delegation system, making sure the county receives the
best legal counsel available. In cases
where the lawsuit subject is beyond the
specific expertise of a County Counsel
attorney, the county will contract with a
private attorney who has such expertise.
In this situation, the County Counsel attor-

ney will act as a liaison between the private attorney and the county department
— all while broadening his or her knowledge base.
“County Counsel is a wonderful
resource for County Leadership,” said
David Smith, Chief Administrative Officer
of Maricopa County.
Praised for its “can do” attitude, the
Division of County Counsel responds to
county government’s legal needs with
vigor. County Counsel employees are
proud of their accomplishments. The following pages reveal the faces behind these
accomplishments, while highlighting the
responsibilities of each bureau.

b.

a. The County Counsel support
staffers are records management
experts, opening 450 new files
every month.
b. Darcie Sanders, Support Staff,
keeps track of each attorney’s
billable hours.

9

GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUREAU

“The General
Government Bureau
uses the full breadth
of Arizona Statutes.”
— Paul Golab
Bureau Chief
General Government Bureau

The General Government Bureau
employees balance the needs
of over 40 Maricopa County
Departments, Boards and

10

Commissions.

aricopa County, the fourth most populous county in the nation, is also the
fastest growing county in the United
States. From its booming cities and sleepy
bedroom communities to its vast rural
areas, Maricopa County’s challenges are as
diverse as its geography. Maricopa County
government, designated the best run county in the nation by the Government Performance Project published February 2002 in
Governing Magazine, has worked tirelessly
to meet these challenges while earning its
reputation of being an innovative, proactive government body. Dedicated to ensuring county leadership is well-advised and
well-represented while making crucial
decisions, the General Government Bureau

M

uses its legal diversity to counsel leadership towards its goals.
Bureau Chief Paul Golab heads the
division with more than 10 years experience as a County Counsel attorney. The
other 11 attorneys who comprise the
bureau each have a minimum of 10 years
legal experience, enabling the bureau to
handle the broad spectrum of legal issues
encountered daily.
“The General Government Bureau
uses the full breadth of Arizona Statutes,”
said Paul. “While prosecutors rarely deviate from Title 13 of the Arizona Revised
Statutes, we civil attorneys use every
volume on the shelf.”

The General Government Bureau
stays busy acting as Counsel-in-Charge to
over 40 departments, boards and commissions. The bureau is organized to provide
legal services to specific county departments. For instance, the Elections
Department, Animal Care and Control,
Maricopa County Hospital, the Board of
Supervisors, the County Recorder’s Office,
the Superintendent of Schools and County
Administration are all departments that
provide government services to the public.
Though the clients of the General
Government Bureau all provide county
services to the community, each of the
departments is dramatically different from
the next. Their clients’ diversity requires
General Government Bureau attorneys to
have an extensive area of expertise.
Although most General Government attorneys have a specific niche, indicative of
their Counsel-in-Charge contact, collabora-

a.

a. Attorney Martin Demos,
holding adoptee Tyler, is the
Counsel-in-Charge attorney for
Animal Care and Control. Recent
police raids have confirmed that
pets are often the forgotten
victims of their owners’ criminal
conduct. Martin is currently
working on behalf of Animal Care
and Control to review policies and
procedures and training materials
b.
c.

for local police officers who might
encounter animals while making
arrests at suspects’ homes.

c. Step away from the stethoscope . . .
hopefully Attorney Louis Gorman will not

b. Martin walks the grounds of

be performing surgery any time soon. Louis,

the new Animal Care and Control

however, is Counsel-in-Charge for the Maricopa

Pet Adoption Center with Corinna

Integrated Health System and currently sits

Valez-Ruperto, Pet Adoption

on the task force to determine the future

Supervisor and George, a five-

direction of the Maricopa Medical Center.

year-old Chow-mix.

11

tion between the attorneys in this area is
customary. The attorneys in the General
Government Bureau ensure that open
meeting laws are not violated, public
records requests are researched, elections
laws are followed, and legal questions
from any of the departments is answered
quickly and accurately.
“The Board has the responsibility of
making certain the decisions we make are
not only beneficial to the county and its
constituents, but also meet all statutory
requirements,” said Fulton Brock,
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors.
“This interaction also provides practical
application and experience for both our
Board members and legal counsel.”

a.

a. Attorney Jill Kennedy (center),
County Recorder Helen Purcell
(right) and Election Supervisor
Karen Osborn inspect voting

c.

machines before their distribution
to all polling locations in
b.

anticipation of the March 11,
2003 elections.

12

b. As Counsel-in-Charge for the

c. Attorney Michael Hintze works

Elections Department and the

off-site at Desert Vista Behavioral

County Recorder, Jill must inspect

Health Center defending chal-

each ballot before it is printed

lenges to court-ordered mental

and distributed to Maricopa

health treatment, involuntary

County voters.

detention or commitment.

LITIGATION BUREAU

ith over 16,500 employees, Maricopa
County simultaneously has employees performing surgery, driving county
owned vehicles, making arrests, guarding
inmates, staffing a polling site, repairing
roads or clearing park trails. In addition,
county employees must react to delinquent tax matters, delinquent medical bill
payments, land use violations and various
statute infringements.
“The county works within a complicated statutory and regulatory environment. We are the target of numerous lawsuits, both serious and frivolous,” said
David Smith, Maricopa County Chief
Administrative Officer. A strong County
Counsel Office is vital for the Board of

W

Supervisors and my office to make good
decisions. Chris Keller and his excellent
legal team are essential for us to be
successful.”
A team of courtroom-savvy attorneys,
known in County Counsel as the Litigation
Bureau, is assigned the task of representing Maricopa County in litigious situations. The Litigation Bureau is responsible
for advice and representation to the
Department of Risk Management on lawsuits and claims brought against the county for tort liability and civil rights violations. County Counsel also advises risk

“A team of
courtroom savvy
attorneys...
assigned the task
of representing
Maricopa County in
litigious situations.”

57. . . 41. . . hut, hut, hike . . .
The Litigation attorneys make
a winning team.

13

a.

a. Bureau Chief Richard Stewart
encourages his attorneys to
broaden their areas of legal
expertise by working as a team.
b. One of Attorney Mary Cronin’s
responsibilities is teaching
a training class on Maricopa
County’s policy and procedures

14

regarding sexual harassment.

b.

management on “self insured trust matters,” or county government’s insurance
policy determined by its exposure to liability based on its overall operations. A
mouthful of legalese best summed up with
one word — teamwork.
Teamwork is the hallmark of the
Litigation Bureau. Each litigation attorney
carries a caseload of approximately 40
cases, often involving monetary settlements. The eight attorneys in the bureau
work closely with risk management to
ensure the best outcome for the county.
“County Counsel attorneys are our
attorneys of choice for defending claims.
Risk management has a close, positive
relationship with the Litigation Bureau,”
said Peter Crowley, Maricopa County’s
Risk Manager. “We work well together as
a team.”
Bureau Chief Richard Stewart’s objective is to ensure that the results of litigation benefit Maricopa County citizens,
while at the same time ensuring all litigants are treated fairly. Richard knows his
team will resolve even the most complex
cases, everything from medical malpractice to tax evasion claims, with professionalism.
“Our practice group handles a variety
of litigation and our expertise has grown
significantly. Cases that 10 years ago we
had to farm out to private firms are now
staying in-house,” said Richard.
At the core of the litigation team’s
success is their emphasis on litigation support services. Litigation Bureau attorneys
often work with other County Counsel
bureaus on case preparation. Litigation
attorneys will pair with the Counsel-inCharge attorney to prepare for legal action.

The Litigation Bureau also serves as
Counsel-in-Charge for the Maricopa
County Sheriff’s Office and the Maricopa
County Justice Courts, which results in
voluminous and often unique litigation
experiences. For instance, the Sheriff’s
Office, in addition to its capacity as a law
enforcement agency, also administers the
jail facilities in Maricopa County. With
roughly 7,000 inmates housed in one of
the five jail facilities, the lawsuits filed by
inmates relating to their care and living
conditions are limited only by their expansive imaginations.
Teamwork backed by finely-tuned
legal skill have earned the Litigation
Bureau an excellent reputation. The
litigation team provides exceptional legal
services to the county, its leaders and
administrators.

a. As part of the Litigation Bureau,
Attorney Maria Brandon represents
the Office of the Public Fiduciary,
which provides guardianship, conservatorship, and decedent services
to vulnerable adults in order to
protect their estates and well-being.
a.

b. Senior Paralegal Cari Shehorn
is one of 20 paralegals assigned
to County Counsel. County Counsel
paralegals perform complex
legal research and draft legal
memoranda. Public Works Bureau
Chief William Knopf said, “Our
paralegals are excellent. They have
very specialized legal skills and are
a crucial part of our team.”
c. “We’ll see you in court...” say
the smiling faces of the Litigation
Bureau.

b.

c.

15

PROPERTY AND
PUBLIC WORKS BUREAU
pproximately four years ago Maricopa
County along with the State of Arizona
and the Town of Cave Creek set out to preserve 2,154 acres of pristine desert from
development. The $22 million land transaction took over two years to negotiate,
but on January 9, 2001, legal documents
were signed creating Spur Cross Ranch
Conservation Area, the newest addition to
Maricopa County’s regional park system.
Operated by the Maricopa County Parks
and Recreation Department, Spur Cross is
a “limited use public recreation and conservation area.” The cooperation between
the state, county and Town of Cave Creek
saved the area, famous for its ancient petroglyphs, from becoming the next masterplanned subdivision.
Attorney Terry Eckhart, Property and
Public Works Bureau, represented
Maricopa County’s interest in preserving
the Spur Cross Ranch area, which encompasses Elephant Mountain. Terry, who frequently hikes Spur Cross, continues to
handle legal matters for the area in his
capacity as Counsel-in-Charge for the
Parks and Recreation Department.

A

a.

“...representing the
many departments
of county
government that
are involved in

“If you haven’t been to Spur Cross,
you really should take a trip out there. It’s
beautiful high Sonoran desert with all
types of archeological treasures,” said
Terry. “Designating the area as a conservation area, not a park, was an important
step in keeping the land untouched.”
The Property and Public Works
Bureau strives to exceed its clients’ expectations, knowing the benefit will reach the
citizens of Maricopa County. The bureau is
responsible for representing the many
departments of county government that
are involved in the development of the
county’s infrastructure, such as the
Department of Transportation, Real Estate,
Parks and Recreation, Materials Management, Facilities Management, Planning
and
Development,
Environmental
Services, and the Flood Control District.
The bureau also handles property tax matters serving as Counsel-in-Charge for the
Maricopa County Assessor’s Office.
Attorney William Knopf, Bureau
Chief of the Public Works Bureau, promotes the customer service ideal within
his bureau.

the development
of the county’s
infrastructure...”

a. Bureau Chief William Knopf
says it is critical for in-house
attorneys to provide high caliber
legal advice.
b. Attorney Terry Eckhart,
Counsel-in-Charge for the Parks
and Recreation Department, says
in the near future visitors to the
Spur Cross Conservation Area
might see designated picnic areas
or even take a guided tour of the

16

area’s ancient petrogylphs.

b.

“It is critical that in-house attorneys
provide legal advice of a high caliber,” said
Bill. “We are very concerned with client
satisfaction. We want to assist clients, not
be at odds with them.”
Balancing the needs of multiple
departments, many with conflicting interests, is a challenge for the 11 attorneys in
the bureau. Providing excellent legal
advice to each department, based on legal
research and attorney collaboration, the
Public Works Bureau conquers these challenges. Citizens rely on Maricopa County’s
infrastructure everyday so, in Bill Knopf’s
words, “things crop up when you least
expect them.”
In 2002, “things cropping up” is an
understatement. The involvement of the
bureau in local high-profile events illustrates the significance of exact legal
advice. For example, the Public Health
Department’s concern regarding roof rat
infestation in the Arcadia neighborhood
and Environmental Service’s mandate that
privately-owned Rose Valley Water install
a permanent, mechanical chlorination system before resuming service to customers
are events that spurred legal inquiries for
the Public Works Bureau. The Public
Works Bureau has also been embroiled in
litigation to prevent a mining company
from building in a flood control area. Even
the hectic property tax area, whose threepanel board heard 700 property tax disputes last year, dealt with uncharted territory in 2002. Public Works attorneys had
the task of determining the property tax
value of the first cryogenic facility in
Maricopa County.

a.

These legal decisions are not made in
a vacuum, said Bureau Chief Knopf.
“While every attorney has a practice
area, we cross-train people to work in a
variety of areas, which allows our attorneys to go across the hall or into the office
next door and collaborate before giving
legal advice,” said Bill.
As Maricopa County continues to
meet the demands of being the fastest
growing county in the nation, its residents
can be assured the Property and Public
Works Bureau understands the legal needs
of this developing region. The bureau continues to fulfill its mission to exceed the
expectations of its clients, the citizens of
Maricopa County.

b.

a. The Public Works Bureau
is commited to client service.
b. Attorney Otis Smith acted
as a liason between Ford Motor
Company’s independent Blue
Ribbon Panel and Maricopa
County departments that drive
Crowne Victoria cars, ensuring
county fleets have the necessary
mechanical equipment to insure
safety.

17

RICHARD M. ROMLEY
ationally recognized as a leader in
criminal justice issues, Rick Romley is
in his fourth elected term as the Maricopa
County Attorney. He is responsible for
administering one of the largest prosecuting attorney’s offices, serving the fourth
most populated county in America. His
comprehensive understanding of criminal
behavior and his commitment to working
towards solutions are the reasons Rick is
often sought for counsel on important
local and national issues. He has testified
before the United States Congress on the
issues of violent crime, terrorism, drug
trafficking, youth violence, public corruption and victims’ rights. His opinions
and commentaries, such as his essay,
“There Are No Civilized Crimes” (Wall
Street Journal, December 18, 1995), have
been published in newspapers across
the country.
Rick has championed many prosecution and reform policies. In the early
1990s, he successfully prosecuted
“AzScam,” the largest public corruption
case in Arizona’s history. His anti-drug

N

“. . .responsible
for administering
one of the largest
prosecuting
attorney’s offices. . .”

After a long week of prosecuting
the county’s most dangerous
criminals, Rick Romley relaxes

18

by taking his Jeep off-road.

diversion program was adopted as a
national model by the President’s Drug
Advisory Committee. He helped Arizona
become one of the first states to pass a
constitutional amendment guaranteeing
rights to victims during the criminal justice process. He played a leading role in
rewriting Arizona’s Criminal Code, which
resulted in “Truth-in-Sentencing,” requiring convicted criminals to serve their full
sentence. Rick was a prominent figure in
the drive to reform Arizona’s juvenile justice system, and he has been a key sponsor of the Violence Prevention Initiative,
an effort to develop a comprehensive,
long-term strategy to prevent violent
crime. For these efforts, Rick has been the
recipient of numerous awards, including
the National Leadership Award, presented
in Washington D.C. in 1997.
While Rick is known as a dedicated
and successful prosecutor, he also believes
in the need to develop community-based
policies that enhance public safety. His
strategy combines tough law enforcement
aimed at chronic offenders, and vigorous

prevention efforts targeting our youth.
And his strategy is working. Citizens in
Maricopa County are seeing dramatic
decreases in graffiti, reduced blight and
substandard living conditions, all resulting
in a reduced crime rate.
Continuing a 100-year Arizona family
tradition, Rick and his wife, Carol, live in
Scottsdale. They have three sons: Darin,
David and Aaron. Rick, born in Tucson in
1949, joined the United States Marine
Corps as a youth and served as a squad
leader in Vietnam until wounded. Rick
received numerous commendations,
including the Purple Heart. In 2001, Rick
received two additional distinguished
national awards for his service in defense
of our country: America’s Presidential
Unsung Hero Award, and the Outstanding
Disabled American Veteran of the Year
Award.
Upon returning from Vietnam, Rick
enrolled at Arizona State University, graduating with honors in 1974 with a
Business Management degree. After graduation, he owned and operated a retail business. Five years later, he sold the business,
enrolled in law school at Arizona State
University and received his Juris Doctorate
in 1981. Since then, he has committed
himself to a career in public service.
Rick Romley takes pride in being an
innovative, aggressive prosecutor dedicated to improving the quality of life for the
citizens of Maricopa County.

a.

a. Rick addresses Law
Enforcement officials at the
annual Demand Reduction
b.

meeting.
b. Rick and his wife Carol.

19

ADULT FILINGS

Maricopa County Attorney’s Office
Adult Felony Filings
FY 2000/01 Compared to FY 2001/02
Case Defendant Analysis
Filings
Offense Type
Homicide

28.6%

91

90

–1.1%

Child Molestation

366

377

3.0%

Robbery

722

831

15.1%

Aggravated Assault

2,675

2,546

–4.8%

Burglary

1,629

1,738

6.7%

42

41

–2.4%

Vehicular Theft

1,619

2,167

33.8%

DUI

3,049

3,121

2.4%

840

860

2.4%

11,025

11,613

5.3%

6,136

6,970

13.6%

28,411

30,633

7.8%

Theft
Drug Related
Other Offenses

Maria Armijo, Family Violence

20

Bureau Chief.

% Change

279

Arson

Year, Deputy County Attorney

FY 01/02

217

Sexual Assault

2001/2002 Prosecutor of the

FY 00/01

Total

Source: CAIS, FY 1999/00 to FY 2001/02. Lejis, FY 1997/98 to 1998/99.

JUVENILE FILINGS

Maricopa County Attorney’s Office
Juvenile Filings
FY 2000/01 Compared to FY 2001/02
Case Defendant Analysis
Filings
Offense Type

FY 00/01

FY 01/02

% Change

Homicide

1

2

100.0%

Sexual Assault

8

5

–37.5%

Child Molestation

66

66

0.0%

Robbery

84

83

–1.2%

Aggravated Assault

532

542

1.9%

Burglary

863

831

–3.7%

47

32

–31.9%

655

753

15.0%

43

76

76.7%

Theft

1,481

1,481

0.0%

Drug Related

1,580

1,424

–9.9%

Other Offenses

3,657

3,655

–0.1%

Total

9,017

8,950

–0.7%

Arson
Vehicular Theft
DUI

Source: JOLTS, FY 1997/98 to FY 2001/02.

2001/2002 Juvenile Division
Prosecutor of the Year, Deputy
County Attorney David Bash,
Adoptions Bureau Chief.

21

Number of Reported Crimes

MARICOPA COUNTY CRIME RATE

224,524
206,385
192,908
182,036

• From 1999 to 2001, Maricopa County’s population increased 7.6 percent compared with
the State of Arizona at 8 percent.
• Overall Maricopa County’s crime rate has seen an increase of 3.5 percent from 1999
to 2001.
• Maricopa County’s violent crime rate decreased 2.2 percent from 1999 to 2001.
• Maricopa County’s propery crime rate increased 4.1 percent from 1999 to 2001.
For three years Maricopa County has experienced a decrease in violent crime. The decrease
occurred notwithstanding a significant population increase. Unfortunately, the same cannot
be said for the property crime rate, which has increased as the population has grown.
Source: DPS “Crime in Arizona,” 1999, 2000, 2001
Crime rates are reported per 100,000 people

Overview of the Maricopa County
Attorney’s Office
• One of the largest prosecuting attorney’s offices in
the country.
• Staff of 934, including 298 prosecutors, 35 attorneys
handling civil matters, 93 paralegals, 58 victim
services advocates, 51 detectives and 399 support
and administrative staff.
• 51 victim services volunteers and 88 legal assistant
volunteers.

Paul Ahler,
Chief Deputy County Attorney
Carol McFadden,

22

Executive Chief

• Five locations throughout Maricopa County including offices in downtown Phoenix and Mesa,
juvenile crimes offices in West Phoenix and Mesa.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office
Downtown (Main Number) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (602) 506-3411
301 W. Jefferson Street • Phoenix, AZ 85003
Southeast Facility (Main Number) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (602) 506-2600
222 E. Javelina, Suite 2400 • Mesa, AZ 85210
Juvenile Division Eastside Office (Main Number) . . . . (480) 962-8002
540 W. Iron Avenue, Suite 110 • Mesa, AZ 85210
Juvenile Division Westside Office (Main Number) . . . (602) 455-3877
3501 W. Osborn Avenue • Phoenix, AZ 85019
Wells Fargo Facility (Main Number) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (602) 372-7350
100 W. Washington, 21st Floor • Phoenix, AZ 85003
Division of County Counsel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (602) 506-8541
222 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1100 • Phoenix, AZ 85004
www.maricopacountyattorney.org

Specific Information on
Programs of Interest
Kids in Court
Program . . . . . . . . (602) 506-8522
Media Relations

..

(602) 506-3411

Speakers Bureau . . (602) 506-7799
Drug Free AZ
Adoptions

....

Hotlines
Graffiti . . . . . . . . . (602) 262-7327
Hate Crimes . . . . .

(602) 506-5000

Illegal Dumping

(602) 506-6616

Slumlord

..

. . . . . . . (602) 372-7586

(602) 506-7630

. . . . . . (480) 962-8002

Community Action
Bureau . . . . . . . . .

(602) 506-3411

Victim Services
Division . . . . . . . . (602) 506-8522
Victim Compensation
Bureau . . . . . . . . . (602) 506-4955

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RICHARD M. ROMLEY
Maricopa County Attorney