Let's start with the silly part first. Would you mistake this man for a police officer?

Joe Arpaio's deputy did and now it has cost the taxpayers of Maricopa County (AZ) $125,000.  The man in the picture is comedian Nick Tarr, who was arrested on Halloween 2002 for impersonating a police officer, dressed exactly as seen in this picture from the Phoenix New Times.  At the time, Tarr was portraying a character called "Joe Arizona" in commercials for a gambling proposition that Sheriff Joe opposed. Tarr was arrested while handing out leaflets about the proposition.  Clearly the only "crime" Tarr was guilty of was making fun of Arpaio (note the pink boxers). The charges were dropped and Tarr sued, settling for $125,000.

The serious stuff below the fold...