Letter to Residents Concerning Law Enforcement

To the Residents of Huerfano County:

The Sheriff’s Office had to make a difficult decision to be good stewards of our resources and to protect the 7,000 residents of this county, whether in Cuchara, Gardner, La Veta, Walsenburg, or across any of this County’s 1,593 square miles.

That decision: To start the transition away from providing contracted law enforcement in the City of Walsenburg as of Jan. 1, 2025.

It was not a decision taken lightly. But leaders make those hard decisions when they result in a greater good — and this is what is best for the residents of Huerfano County, for the deputies who risk their lives, and for the City of Walsenburg. The deputies won’t be stretched so thin. They will be more effective as the demand on their attention becomes more manageable.

We’ve done the best we can with ongoing staffing challenges and ongoing disproportionate needs within the city of Walsenburg. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the current way we are operating is unsustainable and does a disservice to the residents across the county and our deputies.

The goal is for the city to take over law enforcement by Jan. 1, 2025, with their own police force. We will, of course, continue to work with the city up to and past that date to keep city residents safe and ensure the smoothest transition possible.

Our goal is to protect all of the residents of Huerfano County, and we pledge to keep doing that – under any and all circumstances. We are a part of the community as well.  Residents can continue to call 911 for emergencies both before and after the transition. Ultimately, we anticipate this will result in better service to the whole county.

We know that this decision will raise concerns about public safety. We pledge to work closely with city officials as they stand up a new police force in Walsenburg. We’ll continue to work with that new force to make sure residents are secure in living and working in this community.