Sheriff Joe Arpaio is not willing to leave the people of Maricopa County, so he will not be running for governor of Arizona. 

"I'll tell you one thing John, because you make this an issue with me every four years, you insult me," Arpaio said in November, according to Fox News Latino. "If I do run, you're going to be the first to know, you deserve to be the first one."

It is now officially confirmed that he is, indeed, not looking to run for Arizona Governor. He made an official announcement on Thursday.

"I cannot in good conscience leave the Sheriff's Office now since that would be necessary if I declare a candidacy for governor," he said in a statement. "Currently, I have several sensitive investigations in progress and am facing many challenges in my office. Because of this, I will not desert the people of Maricopa County who have elected me six times. Further, I cannot desert my dedicated employees."

"As I mentioned the night of my re-election in 2012, I stated that I would run again for sheriff in 2016," he said. "So many have already supported my campaign for another term, having already raised over $4.2 million in the last 16 months."

In March, he said he was "still considering" the move, the Huffington Post said, which was around the same time that Gov. Jan Brewer said she would not seek re-election after her current term ends.

Arpaio has been the sheriff for the Phoenix metropolitan area since 1999, and he was re-elected for his sixth term in November 2012. The 81-year-old has been accused of racial profiling, abusing prisoners and not investigating sex crimes.