The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Richard Carmona
The disappearance of an 84-year-old Tucson woman has rightly captured the concern of our community and the nation. The priority in any such case must remain clear and unwavering: determining what happened and doing everything possible to bring answers and closure to the family.
At moments like this, compassion, professionalism, and clarity are essential—not only in the investigation itself, but in how public institutions lead, communicate, and support those entrusted with doing the work.
It is precisely because the stakes are so high that leadership matters most.
After more than three decades of service with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department — as a deputy sheriff, detective, SWAT team leader, and medical commander — I know firsthand how complex and demanding major investigations can be. I also know this: when investigations falter publicly, it is rarely because of a lack of dedication or competence among the deputies doing the work. More often, it reflects failures in leadership, decision-making, and communication at the top.
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The men and women of the Sheriff’s Department are professionals. They show up every day prepared to respond to danger, uncertainty, and human tragedy — often at great personal risk. They deserve leadership that supports them, protects their credibility, and sets the conditions for success.
Recent days have revealed a series of avoidable missteps in messaging, coordination, and tone from senior departmental leadership during an active and sensitive investigation. These missteps — already documented in local and national media — have sown confusion, undermined public confidence, and placed deputies in an increasingly difficult position.
Selfless leadership is not simply about authority or visibility. At its best, leadership in law enforcement is measured not by press conferences or proclamations, but by quiet competence, coordination, and the confidence it instills in both the public and the professionals doing the work.
When the elected sheriff fails to communicate clearly, coordinate effectively with partner agencies, or responds defensively rather than transparently, the consequences ripple outward. Investigators are distracted. Interagency relationships suffer. Public trust erodes. And morale — already strained by staffing shortages and rising demands — declines further. When leadership falters, investigations slow, partnerships weaken, and public safety — not just public confidence — is placed at risk.
That morale matters. Across Arizona and the nation, law enforcement agencies struggle to recruit and retain experienced officers. When leadership dysfunction becomes persistent, talented deputies look elsewhere—not because they lack commitment to the community, but because they feel unsupported or exposed to retaliation for raising legitimate concerns.
Even more troubling is when leadership culture shifts from accountability to intimidation—when legitimate questions are met with coercion or retaliation. That environment produces silence and attrition, not professionalism.
For decades, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department earned a strong national reputation for excellence in investigations, SWAT operations, search and rescue, border coordination, and tactical medicine, supported by collaborative relationships with federal, state, and local partners. When such relationships are damaged by ego-driven leadership or retaliatory decisions, the harm extends far beyond personalities — it weakens public safety itself.
None of this detracts from the urgency of the current missing person case. On the contrary, it underscores why leadership failures must be addressed responsibly. Silence does not protect institutions — it erodes them and unfairly burdens deputies who did not create these failures.
Elected officials entrusted with public safety carry a special responsibility. Authority is granted by the people, but legitimacy is earned through competence, integrity, and service.
Speaking out is not disloyalty. It is stewardship.
Addressing leadership failures openly and professionally is not about blame—it is how institutions correct course, restore trust, and emerge stronger.
Our deputies deserve better. Our community deserves better. And the integrity of the Sheriff’s Department depends on it.
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Richard Carmona is a retired Pima County Deputy Sheriff with more than three decades of service, including roles as a detective, SWAT team leader, and medical commander, as well as a former Surgeon General of the United States.
