During the last election cycle, it was no mystery that Pima Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who spends most of his time at his California home, intended to run and win in order to secure the spot for his hand-selected replacement. That presumed replacement has been named; Christopher Nanos.
Nanos will serve as Chief Deputy, effective next week. As the Chief Deputy, Nanos will be responsible for the overall management of the Department, reporting directly to the Sheriff.
The Department has seen two of its four chiefs retire in the past year, with a fourth and Dupnik reportedly set to retire in the near future.
“Filling the Chief Deputy vacancy will ensure continuity and stability in the organization as we go through this period of leadership transition,” Dupnik said. “I can think of no one more qualified to take on the challenges of this role.”
Nanos has served in each of the Department’s four bureaus as he rose through the ranks. He brings nearly 40 years of law enforcement experience to his new role, with a strong emphasis in criminal investigations, particularly in violent crimes and narcotics. He will be second in command of an organization of more than 1,500 employees.
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Nanos majored in Public Administration at the University of Texas at El Paso. He began his law enforcement career as a police officer in the El Paso Police Department in 1976 before joining the Pima County Sheriff’s Department as a Corrections Officer in 1984. He was promoted to Deputy Sheriff later that year. Nanos worked as a patrol deputy and a detective in the Sex Crimes and Homicide Units prior to his promotion to sergeant in 1992, where he had a strong focus on drug interdiction. In 1999 Nanos was promoted to lieutenant and oversaw the Green Valley and Rincon Patrol Districts, Internal Affairs, and Criminal Investigations. In 2009, Nanos was promoted to the rank of captain and led the Criminal Investigations Division. In May 2013, he was promoted to Chief of the Investigations Bureau.
Nanos has received repeated recognition for his dedication and community work, including his volunteer work for Special Olympics, working with homeowner associations and neighborhood groups, and serving as a past Board member for the Southern Arizona Child Advocacy Center.
He has been married to his wife, Charlene, for 28 years.
“With his promotion, Chief Deputy Nanos will further our historic precedent of serving this community,” Dupnik said.
Residents hope that Nanos will not further the historic precedent set by Dupnik. Dupnik has bitterly resented the residents he was elected to serve and indicted Pima County as the Mecca of hate and bigotry.