Former Maricopa County Sheriff and Fountain Hills resident Joe Arpaio announced on Sunday that he will run again in 2020 for sheriff, the office he held for 24 years.

“On this day, Aug. 25, 2019, after consultation and approval from my wife of 61 years, Ava, I have decided to run to be re-elected sheriff,” Arpaio said in his prepared statement. “Watch out world! We are back!”

Arpaio was first elected sheriff in 1992 and took office Jan. 1, 1993. He held the office until Dec. 31, 2016, the longest tenure of any Maricopa County Sheriff.

Arpaio noted that the date of his announcement coincided with both his wife’s birthday, and is also the date that he received a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump for a conviction for contempt of court charges.

In his statement Arpaio said he would reopen his well-known “tent city” for holding inmates, reinstate jail policies and re-institute the Posse to its former strength and “enforce all Arizona laws that deal with drug trafficking, sex trafficking and other crimes associated with the border and illegal immigration.”

“I will continue to stand and fight to do the right thing for Arizona and America, and will never surrender,” Arpaio said. “Those who break the law will have to deal with this sheriff.

“The last four years have proven to be a time of lost opportunities to continue the kind of tough policing this county needs. Once back in office, I will use my position to restore pride in our law enforcement ranks not only here, but across the country.”

Since his defeat at the polls in 2016, Arpaio launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate from Arizona, a seat eventually won by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

By stepping into the race Arpaio will be challenging a man who was at his side for much of his tenure as sheriff. His former Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan announced earlier this year that he is planning to seek the Republican nomination for the office of Maricopa County Sheriff.

Sheridan issued a statement in response to Arpaio’s announcement on Sunday.

“To answer the question of whether or not I am staying in the race, I’ll say that while Sheriff Arpaio and I would agree on things like bringing back tent city and rebuilding a strong Posse, our styles and priorities are quite different,” Sheridan said. “My focus has always been on getting the bad guys, not getting headlines.

“We need a professional and proven lawman to win this office back and the voters have already made it clear they will not vote for Joe. So I will remain in this race and offer voters a 38-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office as a candidate who can win in 2020.”

Sheridan is also a long-time Fountain Hills resident.