Democrat candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff Tyler Kamp has been investigated by various news outlets since July. That’s when reports indicated the former Phoenix Police Department (PPD) Lieutenant was embroiled in a major sexual harassment scandal and faced charges in Payson.
The initial reporting of the harassment scandal by legacy outlets left a wide range of unanswered questions. These questions led to Maricopa County voter Brian Anderson, a researcher and founder of the Saguaro Group, to file a records request with the Phoenix PD seeking answers on Kamp’s past misconduct. However, as previously reported by AZ Free News, the PPD failed to disclose the records even after a demand letter. This prompted a lawsuit which succeeded in forcing the department to respond with records of its Internal Affairs/Equal Opportunity Employment investigation— a full ten months later.
Anderson’s attorney noted in one filing: “Defendant’s failure to disclose Mr. Kemp’s [sic] personnel records before the Primary Election has already resulted in the public not knowing possibly important matters of concern that the public should have knowledge of before voting at the General Election.”
NEW @azcentral – Democrat Tyler Kamp "repeatedly sexually harassed" a young female officer
In July, ABC15 reported on the scandal, citing a Phoenix Equal Opportunity Department probe which, at a paltry six pages, was severely lacking in detail and context. The PPD EEO report released under the Anderson lawsuit is a full eleven pages, and the findings are damning.
The victim summarized the harassment allegations, saying (Formatted for Clarity):
“From my time at the Mountain View Precinct of being an officer in training in 2020 under the training of ::REDACTED:: to July 24,2021 of being on 71B I was sexually harassed and affected in and out the work place emotionally and mentally by Lieutenant Tyler Kamp due to many inappropriate sexual comments.
The majority of this took place over text messages and phone calls as well as feeling pressured to meet in person on duty for non-work related topics.
Tyler Kamp was given multiple warnings of the inappropriate behavior over text messages, which did not stop after the first warning. Tyler would:
Ask me to go out with him to buy me drinks outside of work while being an officer in training and as a probationary officer
Comment about my body and weight
Send text messages that would include him stating about how I looked in yoga pants and about me bending over and having flirty eyes
Tell me to bring an etra(sic) pair of pants for after shift regarding meeting with him on New Years Eve
Become upset that I “ghosted” him on New Years Eve
Ask me if the best time to talk to me was after I have had a few drinks
Ask if I was proud of him for not telling me anything inappropriate when he was drinking
Make his presence known to me while in common areas
Tell me he would look at me in his training class and was disappointed that I did not solicit his attention more
Restrict me from working and taking calls for service on duty to meet him for non work related topics,
Restrict me from training and career advancements due to jealous behavior over my relationship and disregarding that I was in a relationship, causing me to avoid going into the precinct intentionally to avoid contact with him which resulted in me staying in my patrol vehicle until end of shift.
I purposely avoided contact with Tyler Kamp and he would send text messages regarding me avoiding him. He would:
Tell me over the phone that other employees such as ::REDACTED:: are jealous of me due to my looks and that I get special treatment that will offend other officers in as well as he had knowledge that I was being treated poorly by my FTO sergeant
Make me feel I could not defend or speak up for myself due to him being my direct lieutenant
Constantly track where I was at work, when I would arrive in, what I was driving in addition to making comments of what I was wearing such as yoga pants and thanking me for wearing the yoga pants.
Track where I was on shift and make contact with me asking why I would not respond to his text messages
Randomly text me not to marry young and about his his sex life in addition to informing me that he was a virgin when he married
Send morning and good night messages
Send me pictures of a female ATF employee that he stated was flirty and one of the pictures included her in a setting where she was unaware of him taking the picture and one of her in uniform while he was in uniform
Asking me to call him while off duty and to meet him on duty
Talk about inappropriate stories of him and his coworkers regarding drinking and stripper poles.
This behavior continued for a long period and made me feel I was put in a position of having to stay respectful, kind and allow this to continue for a long period over fear of losing my job. I was extremely uncomfortable with the behavior and this damaged my training and ability to work functionally at work and have to constantly be mentally prepared for the behavior and potentially come in contact with Tyler Kamp. I have struggled over this issue for a long time and continuously tried to cope with how I am seen and viewed at my work place, afraid of trusting any employee at a higher rank and feeling at a loss.”
Here are a few additional excerpts from her more detailed accounts:
Kamp “texted me in response to my previous message and asked me how a petite woman can hold down whiskey and that ‘I’m sure we will find out soon haha’”
“Taking notice of what time I got to work and stated ‘Yoga pants??? Shoot I missed it…’”
Kamp asked, “So was it bad that I admitted they look REALLY good on you??”
Two days later, Kamp “noted that I had the perfect body for gymnastics” and “added that he was sure I could show him some yoga stuff (big eyes emoji)”
Kamp then asked for a photograph of the victim’s family and “told me that my younger sister looks like me” even though the sister was younger than 18 years old; “This part upset me due to being aware of his attraction towards me and then commenting about how my minor sister looked like me.”
In November 2022, Kamp was reportedly interviewed and denied the sexual harassment allegations. He claimed the text messages were “friendly banter,” saying, “To me, I mean, it was just like friendly banter back-and-forth, but at the same time it was — it was a friendship. So, I mean, I might have friendly banter with another guy or another girl. It doesn’t mean that I’m necessarily attracted to ‘em or it doesn’t mean that, like, I’m trying to get in their pants or anything like that and vice-versa, like, I just don’t look at it that way. I think it’s more just in good fun. It’s more like in good fun.”
He claimed that if the text allegations were true, “I’m still not following why that would even be sexual harassment, but I don’t know if you can explain that or not.”
The Phoenix Police Department (PPD) is being sued over its failure to release records that allegedly reveal additional wrongdoing by former officer and Democratic nominee for Maricopa County Sheriff, Tyler Kamp.
Multiple media reports have emerged on the sexual harassment complaints and reprimands for misconduct that Kamp received while employed with PPD.
Kamp’s past misconduct included a city investigation which found that Kamp sexually harassed a rookie female police officer via text in 2020 and in his last year on the force in 2021, though he was never disciplined since the investigation took place after he retired from the department. In 2014, Kamp was suspended for a day for breaching a confidential law enforcement database for personal use. Arizona law classifies unauthorized access to criminal history as a class six felony. In 2013, Kamp was punished for repeatedly using a city vehicle for personal use.
The unreleased records sought may provide more background on Kamp’s past — and now they’re being fought over in court.
Maricopa County voter Brian Anderson filed a request for those records on Kamp back in March. When PPD failed to return the records after five months, Anderson had an attorney send PPD a demand letter. In response to that letter, PPD said it would produce the records by mid-September. After PPD failed to produce those records, Anderson filed a lawsuit in court.
“Defendant’s failure to disclose Mr. Kemp’s [sic] personnel records before the Primary Election has already resulted in the public not knowing possibly important matters of concern that the public should have knowledge of before voting at the General Election,” read one court filing.
The records sought on Kamp seek to corroborate rumors and allegations that Kamp engaged in sexual acts with a civilian in a patrol car while on duty, engaged in sexual acts in the stairwell of PPD headquarters, and committed other sexual harassment and stalking incidents in addition to those publicized by local media. These claims made their way into the September debate between Kamp and his Republican opponent, Jerry Sheridan (who was the second in command under former Sheriff Joe Arpaio).
Although it is unclear why PPD refuses to release the records, there are some who would stand to benefit.
Phoenix City Councilman Kevin Robinson was Kamp’s supervising officer and the assistant chief at PPD, and currently serves as his campaign chairman. In the press release announcing Kamp’s run, Robinson offered praise for his former subordinate.
“I have known Tyler for many years, going back to our time working in law enforcement together,” said Robinson. “He will bring extensive law enforcement and management experience to the role, and ensure a leadership grounded in integrity, accountability and a deep commitment to serving the community.”
In the recent past, MCSO chief deputies have made over $200,000.
On Tuesday, PPD and Anderson convened in court briefly and were scheduled for a full hearing next week.
Kamp, formerly a Republican, switched parties last December to run as a Democrat. Kamp’s platform includes building on the work of Democratic Sheriff Paul Penzone, which includes more restorative justice rather than incarceration — though the county sheriff has no role in prosecution or sentencing. Some have criticized restorative justice as a “soft-on-crime” approach for practices such as having offenders apologize to victims in exchange for lighter sentencing or parole. Restorative justice is often implemented in high-crime cities like Los Angeles and Chicago.
Kamp also proposes establishing a task force for crime trends, a cross-agency task force, more hiring incentives like bonuses and continuing educational support, and bringing an end to the Melendres Court Orders.
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Maricopa County political races are essentially in a dead heat with less than two months until Election Day.
Earlier this month, Noble Predictive Insights (NPI) released its survey on Maricopa County races, showing Republicans and Democrats locked in a tight battle for all races.
According to NPI, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s race was tied with Republican Jerry Sheridan and Democrat Tyler Kamp tied at thirty-five percent each, with twenty-four percent undecided. Kamp has a twelve percent lead with independents, with thirty-six percent of that voting share undecided.
Incumbent Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell leads Democrat Tamika Wooten by two percent (37-35%), with twenty-one percent undecided. Wooten has a ten percent lead with independents, with twenty-nine percent of that voting share undecided.
Democrat Gregory Freeman might be the frontrunner in the Maricopa County Assessor’s race, with a three-point advantage over incumbent Republican Eddie Cook (36-33%). There is twenty-six percent undecided in this race. Freeman holds a fifteen-point lead over Cook with independents, with forty percent undecided.
And in the Maricopa County Recorder’s contest, Democrat Tim Stringham leads Republican Justin Heap by four percent (38-34%), with twenty-two percent undecided. Stringham enjoys a fifteen percent lead over Heap with independents, with thirty-five percent of that voting share undecided.
“These races are incredibly close. In each one, the leading candidate is ahead by a low single-digit margin. With a high number of undecideds and more than two months between fielding this poll and Election Day – this poll just doesn’t point to a clear winner,” said Mike Noble, NPI President & CEO. “But historical data might tell us more.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Democratic Candidate for Maricopa County Sheriff Tyler Kamp has found his campaign marred by controversy including allegations of sexual harassment during his final year with the Phoenix Police Department. However, new documentation shows that this was not Kamp’s first violation of the law during his tenure.
Records from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and Payson Regional Justice Court obtained by AZ Free News have revealed that on August 10, 2019 at 11:46 AM Kamp was subject to a traffic stop and issued a citation for driving his vehicle without a current registration. Kamp reportedly pleaded guilty to the charge which under Arizona Revised Statue §28-2532 carries a $300 fine.
But further, the citation from the DPS seems to show Kamp’s drivers license was extremely out of date, listing his home address in Waddell even though records indicate by 2019 he hadn’t lived there for approximately 8 years.
Closer examination of the citation also reveals that Kamp was speeding, clocked by radar at 52mph in a posted 35 mph zone, moving past mile post 270 on SR260 northeast of Payson in Gila County. Although cited for the registration violation, Kamp doesn’t appear to have been charged with either the outdated license or speeding and should’ve been charged under Arizona Revised Statue §28-448 and 28-702.01 respectively. All of this happened while he was working as a Phoenix Police Officer.
A search of the Maricopa County Assessor’s office confirmed that Kamp’s Waddell home was sold in July 2011 and voting records confirm that although an early ballot was sent to Kamp at the Waddell address for the 2011 general election, the ballot was not cast, indicating he no longer lived there. According to ARS §28-448, “If a person’s name or address changes after the person applies for or receives a driver license or nonoperating identification license or after the person applies for or receives a vehicle registration or vehicle title, the person shall notify the department within ten days after the change of the old and new address.” Violation of the statute is listed as a civil traffic violation.
Kamp was clocked driving at 17 mph over the limit on SR260, and under ARS § 28-702.01, “If the maximum speed limit on a public highway in this state is at least thirty miles per hour in an area that is outside of an urbanized area, a person shall not drive a motor vehicle at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit on that highway,” and “If … the speed at which the court finds the person drove is more than ten miles per hour in excess of the posted speed limit, the offense is designated as a civil traffic violation and the person is subject to a civil penalty.”
As reported by ABC15 on July 8, Kamp is already facing allegations that he sexually harassed a rookie police officer during his final year with the Phoenix Police Department according to an investigation completed by the City of Phoenix Equal Opportunity Department (EOD) following his retirement from the force. Kamp was reportedly never disciplined in the matter.
Investigators wrote in their final report cited by ABC15, “(Redacted) reported that Lt. Kamp sent sexually harassing text messages to her. The evidence provided by (redacted) corroborated her allegations. Although Lt. Kamp denied sending the messages, (redacted) provided screenshots as part of the investigation.”
Responding to the allegations in an interview with the outlet, Kamp was critical of the investigation telling reporters, “This wasn’t a full investigation.” He added, “It was not a complete investigation… I think the text messages you’re referring to are completely taken out of context.” The texts Kamp referenced reportedly showed him discussing sex with the female officer, making comments about her body, stating that he was aroused and asking her to “give him a heads up the next time she was going to wear yoga pants,” according to ABC15 with the alleged harassment taking place from 2020-2021.
Then-Lieutenant Kamp retired from the Phoenix Police Department in September of that year.
The alleged harassment was reported by the rookie officer in early 2022 leading to a formal complaint and the subsequent investigation by the Phoenix EOD.
The outlet also obtained records showing that Kamp was suspended from the force for one day in 2014 for “improperly accessing a confidential law enforcement database without a legitimate criminal justice purpose.” He was further reprimanded for the repeated use of his assigned city vehicle for personal use in 2013 according to ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing.
