Supervisors to name Precinct 8 constable

When the Pinal County Board of Supervisors announce Precinct 8’s newest constable next week, a Maricopa resident said he expects to be ready.

Justice of the Peace Scott Sulley, who presides over the Maricopa-Stanfield Justice Court, served on a panel of six who recommended George Hoffman for the interim post. The Board of Supervisors must give their blessing before the recommendation from the Citizens Selection Committee becomes official.

“There were six well-qualified candidates, and the committee decided on Mr. Hoffman,” Sulley said of the position which pays $16,000 annually. “We are looking forward to him working in his new position.”

Hoffman will work mainly to serve process for the Maricopa-Stanfield Justice Court.
In addition to 24 years of experience in law enforcement, Hoffman will attend constable training Feb. 6 and Feb. 7, and will likely be approved Feb. 6 during the board’s regular session and sworn in after his return from the seminar training sessions.

“We just hope that he can continue doing the fine job that our former constable Ralph Riley was able to do for us,” Sulley said.

David Snider, chairman of the Pinal County Board of Supervisors said today that he doesn’t anticipcate that there will be any problem or challenge to that appointment.

“In fact, I look forward to it,” he said. “Mr. Hoffman has a distinguised career in law enforcement, and when I consider the individuals who were a part of the citizens commitee and the fact that they had recclommended Mr. Hoffman for the position unanimously, I feel very comfortable and exited about having him succeed Constable Riley.”

Meanwhile, his pending appointment “still hasn’t sunken in yet, to be honest with you,” Hoffman said early Thursday.

Hoffman was one of six candidates considered for the position. He filled out the application on somewhat of a whim after reading about Riley’s retirement in a local newspaper. Shortly thereafter, he accepted an invitation to interview on a Wednesday. By Thursday, he said, they’d offered him the job.

Duties of a constable include serving papers related to civil legal matters such as evictions, small claims cases and divorce.

“It doesn’t sound like it is a high-stress job serving papers,” Hoffman said. “I know it can be very hard and trying on people. I think I bring to the table some empathy and compassion.”

Hoffman retired in August 2004 from the San Diego Police Department where he spent 24 years in public service. A few of those years he served as a reserve officer working crowd control and transporting prisoners in addition to providing traffic control at parades and sporting events.

As an officer, he initially worked patrol, wrote traffic citations and investigated property crimes and other crimes. From there, he went on to serve in an administrative role working everything from the front desk at Police Headquarters to coordinating with the Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol. He made stops in the homicide and child abuse units and taught in the Police Academy before retiring.

That decision, Hoffman said, was based on health reasons.

Hoffman and his wife, Catherine Hoffman, have a son in northern California and a daughter in southern California. The couple moved to Arizona to be closer to two sons who live in Mesa and to take advantage of the lower cost of living.

Being retired, however, soon took its toll.

“I just got bored of retirement, and especially in Maricopa which is basically out in the middle of nowhere, you have to go so far to get any place,” he said.

So he applied to work at a local Circle K. Once he started checking into the possibility he realized his heart wasn’t in it.

“It just didn’t appeal to me,” he said.

When the city posted the position of compliance officer he applied. When no one responded, Hoffman said he decided “Maybe they are not interested in me.”

That’s why he was somewhat surprised by the warm reception he’s received so far from the Pinal County Board of Supervisors, Precinct 8’s Justice of the Peace, Judge Scott Sulley and Chief Patrick Melvin of the Maricopa Police Department.

“It is a great bunch of people who are really bending over backward to get this thing going, to make me feel comfortable and part of the community,” he said. “It is something I have not seen in a long time, the type of respect I am getting.”

The greatest challenge Hoffman anticipates is getting to know the district which is spread out over a broad area.

“Give me a Thomas Guide (map book) and I can find anything,” he said.

Hoffman added the he hopes to bring another level of professionalism into the position as he steps into a role in which his predecessor had done an outstanding job.

“I love law enforcement, and this is my way of serving,” he said.

In November, voters will decide if Hoffman will remain beyond the temporary position to which he will likely be appointed, just long enough to finish out Riley’s term. He knows it won’t be easy, and doesn’t appear to mind.

“From the other constables I have talked to, this is full time; you get your paper and are out there hustling,” he said.

When he’s not serving papers, Hoffman expects to remain involved in St. Andrew the Apostle Church in Mesa and the Knights of Columbus. When time permits, he and his wife enjoy driving the state to take photos.

“I am very happy to be in Arizona, happy to be in Maricopa,” he said. “I have never been involved with so many nice people. I am proud to be part of the community.”