PHX Reporter

Maricopa County has been recognized for its exceptional public service by receiving 75 National Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). These awards honor the county's innovative programs that have positively impacted the community over the past year. This is a record number of awards for Arizona's most populous county, with 22 departments, elected offices, and courts acknowledged in 2024.

Chairman Jack Sellers of District 1 expressed his admiration for the work being done across various sectors such as criminal justice, transportation, and elections. He stated, “What I see from our employees is a commitment to the public good, to quality of life, to helping those with barriers to employment or housing or healthcare. This wide-ranging recognition from NACo is proof of what I’ve known for a long time: Maricopa County is one of the best-run, most efficient, and most innovative governments in the United States.”

Among the departments reporting through the County Manager, Human Services received 20 awards and Public Health garnered 15. The judicial divisions also received multiple recognitions: Adult Probation earned eight awards, Juvenile Probation three, and one award went to the Judicial Branch. Many successful programs resulted from collaborations between different departments or elected offices.

County Manager Jen Pokorski highlighted the dedication of county employees by stating, “Working in Maricopa County government means a chance to make a difference every day. I’m proud of our team of innovators and doers who show up each day thinking about how to make life better for others and provide great value to taxpayers.”

For more details on Maricopa County's award-winning programs, interested individuals can search online by state.