Embattled Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has blown the investigation into Savannah Guthrie’s lacking mother because of a mixture of “ego, incompetence, and politics,” a former NYPD investigator informed The Publish — including there is no such thing as a approach the highest cop can hold his job.
Nanos, who has been entrance and middle within the high-profile hunt for Nancy Guthrie, 84, since her puzzling disappearance on Feb. 1, has been accused of bungling the case, whereas alienating his fellow officers, most people and the media.
“He’s made this entire case about himself,” mentioned Michael Gould, a founding member of the NYPD’s Ok-9 unit and a retired commanding officer of Nassau County Police’s Ok-9 unit.
“It might be solely considered one of these three issues: ego, incompetence, or politics, as a result of he’s operating for workplace,” the search and restoration skilled informed The Publish.
Within the early days of the Guthrie probe, Nanos, a extremely skilled police officer, held common press conferences the place he alone fielded questions, placing “flashing lights” on his again, as Gould put it.
“I’ve been an outspoken critic of his from the very first few press conferences,” Gould mentioned. “He ought to have assigned a public info officer to exit in entrance of the press to substantiate or deny sure issues.”
In latest weeks, Nanos has confronted a barrage of criticism for cherry-picking sympathetic reporters for one-off interviews.
“It’s nearly like he’s deliberately making an attempt to cloud the problems since you by no means get a straight reply, Gould added.
“He’s been ambiguous from day one. The neighborhood doesn’t know if there’s a serial killer operating round.”
“My largest set off was when he began in charge most people and the media,” he mentioned. “The straw that broke the camel’s again for me was when he mentioned the cadaver canines are on maintain.
“What does that imply? It both implies she’s alive or they’re not searching for her anymore. Why wouldn’t you reply the query?” Gould mentioned.
The previous NYPD cop additionally known as out Nanos for working quick days within the workplace, taking journeys to the gymnasium to exercise, and driving round in a brand new $70,000 sports activities automobile.
“It appears intentional, by the vehicles he’s driving, by his life-style, to attract consideration away from the case and in the direction of him,” Gould mentioned.
The besieged Nanos is dealing with a triple-whammy of crises, together with a $1.3 million lawsuit from a Pima County inmate, a recall marketing campaign from a Republican congressional candidate, and allegations he lied underneath oath about his resume.
Gould doesn’t consider Nanos will be capable to survive the mess.
“He’s achieved this to himself. All he needed to do was be like another sheriff’s division and take a backset. It was his ego,” Gould mentioned, including that Nanos ought to have used the media and most people for assist, simply because the detectives who captured Luigi Mangione — the alleged killer of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson — did.
“The media and the general public is liable for capturing Luigi Mangione,” Gould mentioned. “Legislation enforcement had him going to Atlanta, and he was reported by a McDonald’s employee in Altoona, Pennsylvania.”
Gould added that he feels for the rank-and-file officers in Pima County.
“My ire goes in the direction of Nanos, not the FBI, not the sheriff’s investigators,” he mentioned. “They’re in all probability embarrassed by him as a lot as anyone else.”
Nanos and the Pima County Sheriff’s Division didn’t reply instantly to The Publish’s requests for remark.
