Maricopa County, located in the heart of Arizona, is one of the largest counties in the country when measured by size, or population. And its population is growing very fast. Many people move there for a variety of reasons like economic opportunity, weather, and political climate. But a good number move there because Arizona is perhaps the most gun owner friendly state in the country.
Jerry Sheridan wants to keep it that way. He’s running for Sheriff of Maricopa County, and he is different than many who hold elected office. Sheridan is a gun guy. A real gun guy who understands the culture, guns, and other gun owners.
Sheridan’s father and two of his uncles were police officers in New York City. When his father retired from police work in 1976, he moved his family to Arizona because it was a good place to own guns. Even then, Arizona was considered a very gun friendly place.
A year later when Sheridan turned 18, he joined the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) as a volunteer reserve deputy. Two years later he was hired as a full time deputy and stayed there for 38 years serving as a Deputy Sheriff and working his way up through law enforcement assignments to the position of Chief Deputy. He retired in December of 2016.
From the time he was five years old and his father taught him to shoot using a Colt 1911 chambered in .45 ACP, he has loved guns. And this love of guns has remained with him his whole life, with the Colt 1911 still being his favorite gun to shoot.
Sheridan says, “he has a lot of very neat weapons.” He particularly likes old Colts and Winchesters but owns guns including old cowboy guns, modern semi-automatics, suppressors, and full autos. He has managed to collect a number of guns over the years including an H&K MP5 and a Colt 1921 Thompson sub-machinegun. But he shoots them all and they don’t just sit around looking good.
He’s not an elitist though. When asked what he will do as Sheriff to help the average gun owner, he said, “I want people to exercise their second amendment rights. But they need to do it with responsibility and with the knowledge and the confidence that they can protect themselves, and use it in the right way.” And he understands what the Second Amendment is all about. He says, “It is there to protect the citizens from the tyranny of government.” That’s not the usual drivel from politicians who say they support the Second Amendment and are hunters. Sheridan says his Deputies will never enforce unconstitutional laws like red flag laws, and he supports the right of citizens to own AR-15 style firearms. Clearly this guy is not a politician. According to Sheridan, MCSO employees asked him to run for Sheriff. He never thought he would do it and says it is the hardest thing he has ever done. But, he says, when pushed into a corner he fights back. That’s what he says Deputies are taught to do as part of their job. And that job is to keep people safe.
I did my early ballot today and voted for him, I had the privilege of meeting him during a republican rally. He seems like a stand up guy, who would do a really good job as sheriff and is against illegals. The real problem is all these lib-tards moving here from California that are going to vote Democrat and screw this GREAT STATE up like they did theirs. Probably like the Bruce Porters who either didn’t really read/ understand what he’s saying or is trying to sway people’s votes.
How o how can this state elect the co-founder of Giffords law Center for Gun Violence, then? How?
I have family living in the county and am sure they will vote for him.
This guy says he won’t support laws that in his opinion are “unconstitutional.” Sounds like he wants to be the law unto himself. Doesn’t that make him a peanut-size dictator? Hope Maricopans take notice.
Yes, because when an obviously Unconstitutional law is passed, we should all just lay down and take it.
Hope YOU take notice of the founding of this Nation, when certain men broke the ‘laws’ to stand against tyranny.
Perhaps you’re just too well indoctrinated?
He has our family votes! Would like to know where he stands on illegals’ in our state of Arizona, and if he will bring back “tent city jail” and pink underwear also?? Good luck and thank you for going up against “Penzony the phony”.
He’s got my vote
When voting for sheriff, the people of Maricopa county should strongly consider this man as he sounds like what a sheriff is suppose to be. How sad that so many that are elected to this position are willing to sell their souls and not do the job the people so rightly deserve. Many soon in many areas are going to wish they had a man and sheriff like him. When you take an oath to God almighty, the Constitution, and the people you should uphold it and not be willing to sell your soul to the agenda as easily as so many do. Best wishes to this man in his bid to be a sheriff that the people can trust and believe in.