Maricopa constable eyes judge vacancy

Maricopa-area District 4 Constable Glenn Morrison wants to run for justice of the peace in the November general election.

A Rancho El Dorado resident, Morrison filed his interest statement with Pinal County Elections Department to run as a Republican in the Aug. 6 primary. He is the only candidate so far to share his interest in running for the justice of the peace position.

“I’m happy to say I had a significant amount of support from the community,” Morrison said, adding that many called and urged him to run for the office.

Pinal County Board of Supervisors accepted the Jan. 2 resignation of Justice Lyle Riggs, who left office after serving two years of his term in Maricopa’s justice court. Riggs has served the Maricopa court since 2014.

The supervisors are now accepting applicants to temporarily fill Riggs’ former seat on the bench. The temporary appointee would serve until the Nov. 5 general election and must be Republican, which is Riggs’ party affiliation. The supervisors are expected to decide on the fill-in justice post March 20.

Morrison, 64 and a Maricopa resident since 2009, said he is one of the applicants for the temporary justice position.

As a Maricopa resident, Morrison was trained in conflict resolution and de-escalation while serving for years as a Pinal County Sheriff’s Office volunteer. He has also been a real estate agent but ended that career after he was elected constable.

As a candidate for constable in the Maricopa-Stanfield District, Morrison said he “learned through lifelong experience in business management and law enforcement that it is vital to communicate respect and compassion for all individuals. Therefore, I am uniquely qualified in communication, cooperation, team building and public safety.”

Morrison listed several charities he is involved in, including ASPCA, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Red Cross and other community service nonprofit organizations.

He has been a sheriff’s office volunteer for more than 13 years.

“I see the good, I see the bad, I see it all,” Morrison told InMaricopa today of his service with the sheriff’s office, and six years as constable.

He said the constable and justice of the peace roles have a lot in common.

“Everything I do as constable and what I would do as justice of the peace ultimately has a positive outcome,” Morrison said.

Morrison approached Riggs about seeking to succeed him and said the former Maricopa justice was pleased to learn he was running.