Maricopa voters helped elect him. Now, the county’s top cop is leading the way when it comes to setting new standards for sex offenders in Arizona.  

Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller and Beth Goulden, his community liaison, discussed the establishment of Arizona’s Sex Offender Management Board during a press conference at the State Capitol yesterday afternoon.  

The Arizona Legislature last year created the board and tasked it with setting statewide standards and guidelines for how to supervise and treat sex offenders. 

Goulden told InMaricopa there currently “are no standards for the supervision of sex offenders in Arizona.” 

“We need to make sure there is treatment available, but also accountability and making sure sex offenders are managed effectively,” she said.  

During the press conference, Miller said gaps exist in offender accountability.  

“Sex offenders were not truly being held accountable, and victims were not appropriately being cared for or taken care of,” said Miller, one of three elected leaders at the conference. He was flanked by Senate President Warren Petersen and Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix). 

“That is the reason for this board here today,” continued Miller. “The Sex Offender Management Board is meant to fill that gap of both protecting of victims and holding offenders accountable, which is the utmost importance, at least for my office in Pinal County.” 

He said sex offenders have not been adequately monitored or treated. 

As a proponent of the Senate Bill 1630, Miller envisioned the board would “bring together experts from all across the state … to come together to set standards, the highest standards possible in the state of Arizona.” 

The board is being funded through Senate Bill 1660 in this year’s state budget. That bill appropriated $200,000 for the board and will fund two full-time employees.  

Eighty registered sex offenders currently reside in Maricopa’s ZIP 85138 and 85139, and more than 680 sex offenders live in Pinal County, according to data from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  

PCAO has filed 50 sexual offence cases so far this year, including five this month.  

“We need to ensure that the standards of Arizona are high,” Miller said.  

“Arizona is sending a strong message,” added Petersen. “We’ll not compromise when it comes to protecting our children.”