A sergeant with the Pima County Sheriffβs Department who also is head of the deputiesβ union has filed an aggravated assault complaint against Sheriff Chris Nanos.
Sgt. Kevin Kubitskey told Tucson police that he was assaulted by Nanos at about 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 26, according to a police report obtained by the Star through a public records request.
Because Kubitskey is a member of law enforcement, the incident is classified as aggravated assault on a peace officer, a felony.
The report, which was filed March 7, does not go into detail about the incident, which occurred at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge. The Tucson Police Department only released a report that had a brief narrative, which indicated more information was on additional reports that were not released.
The Star previously reported Nanos held a meeting Feb. 26 with the labor groups representing deputies, sergeants and corrections officers, to address any concerns leading into the upcoming sheriffβs election.
Itβs unclear from the police report if the altercation had anything to do with the meeting, but the alleged assault occurred at the same location.
Kubitskey, who is the president of the Pima County Deputy Sheriffβs Association, was not injured during the incident, the report says.
βItβs an ongoing investigation so I canβt comment about it at this time,β Kubitskey said, when contacted by the Star.
Nanos wouldnβt comment on the specifics of the situation, but said that several people witnessed what happened and the findings of the investigation will prove he did nothing wrong.
βI have to question (Kubitskeyβs) motivation in this,β Nanos said. βHeβs filed complaint after complaint against me, to internal affairs, to (Pima County) human resources and to the FBI. I think itβs all politically motivated.β
Since last summer, Kubitskey has been at the front of the deputy associationβs efforts to receive increases in salary, or βstep increases,β that employees were promised years ago.
Nanos previously said that since September, when Kubitskey took over as union president, βthings have fallen apartβ in regards to discussions over pay.
The status of Tucson policeβs investigation was not known Thursday, but the Pima County Attorneyβs Office said it has not received the case.
Possible election candidates
On Thursday night, members of the Fraternal Order of Police and the deputiesβ union interviewed potential candidates for the upcoming sheriffβs election, according to an email sent to members.
For the first time in years, it appears the unions are prepared to endorse a candidate to challenge the sitting sheriff. Itβs expected that Nanos, who is completing the term of retired Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, will run for the office.
Dale Monroe, Mark Napier and Luis Pimber answered questions from union members in an informal interview.
Monroe is a University of Arizona graduate who worked as an FBI agent from 1985 to 2012, spending some of his time in Phoenix. He was involved in the standoff with Randy Weaver and several others at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992. Since he left the FBI, heβs worked as a firearms instructor and security consultant. Currently a California resident, Monroe is also a captain in the stateβs military reserve.
Napier, a retired captain with the Tucson Police Department, lost to Dupnik in the 2012 election. He also made an unsuccessful run for Oro Valley Town Council in 2012.
Pimber is a former UA Police officer, who was injured in a 2003 raid in conjunction with TPD. He sued Tucson Police and the officer who injured him, but the case was dismissed by the state Court of Appeals. He also worked as an undercover member of an Office of National Drug Control task force.
