It was Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio who stepped up to the podium to introduce Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to an audience of about 5,000 in Fountain Park Saturday.

Arpaio, a Fountain Hills resident, has been on stage with the leading Republican candidate for president at a number of his rallies, including one here in town this past weekend.

Although he has been campaigning with Trump since late last summer, Arpaio made his endorsement official at a stop in Iowa a couple of months ago.

“I just had a gut feeling (about him), he was different, as everyone knowns by now,” Arpaio said.

It appears, however, that Arpaio did not initiate the Trump visit to his hometown (see separate story).

Arpaio told The Times that presidential politics is not new to him. As the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America with a national reputation, Arpaio said President George W. Bush, Governor Mitt Romney and Governor Rick Perry all courted his endorsement during elections.

“(Trump) has a lot of experience in the private sector,” Arpaio said.

“None of the candidates were talking about immigration as an issue until he brought it up. He has opened the door to get people talking, maybe something will get done about it.”

As sheriff with a contract with law enforcement in Fountain Hills, it was Arpaio’s office primarily responsible for security surrounding Trump’s visit.

“We are not charging the town any extra for this,” Arpaio said.

“This is what we do every day. That’s the advantage of having the Sheriff’s Office.”

MCSO was using whatever resources were needed for the event. Extra manpower, armed posse members, a helicopter and even a boat on Fountain Lake, were all part of the sheriff’s resources available for the visit.

According to town officials, MCSO is expected to bill the Trump campaign from law enforcement services it provided for the event.