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Family members and county officials urge more pay, equipment for deputies at fallen-officers ceremony
Summary
At a Maricopa County ceremony honoring deputies killed in the line of duty, family members and county officials called for improved compensation and resources for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office; no formal votes or new appropriations were announced.
Maricopa County supervisors and Sheriff Paul Penzone called for increased pay and equipment for deputies at a ceremony honoring law-enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty, where family members recounted personal losses and officials said the board is pressing for additional support.
The appeals came during the "They Served Well" remembrance, where a family member of Deputy William Coleman described the personal toll of his death, saying, "My dad, deputy William Coleman, was killed when I was just 4 years old... What was the reason for my dad dying?" That family member said the death and others "lost their lives in protecting people," and described Coleman's death as "probably the most violent gun battle in sheriff's office history."
County officials framed the ceremony as both a memorial and an occasion to press for greater resources for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. An unidentified Maricopa County supervisor said the board is “pushing for more funding and support for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office” and highlighted an improved compensation plan discussed in January, adding that support could include "equipment or, pay or whatever that may be." The supervisor said their "number one commitment" is to ensure deputies "come home safe every day."
Sheriff Paul Penzone, speaking at the event, thanked the board and the community for backing law enforcement, saying, "I've never felt the love, support, and compassion the current board has towards the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office... I know they're trying like hell to make sure they at least get compensated for the sacrifice that they do every day."
Attendees emphasized tangible needs — from compensation to protective equipment — but the remarks at the ceremony were requests and statements of support rather than formal board actions. No motions, votes or appropriation decisions were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.
Family testimony, officials said, underscored why the board and sheriff see expanded support as necessary. The ceremony combined remembrance with public appeals for policy and budget attention; any specific funding proposals or timelines were not specified in the excerpts provided.
