[The following text was sent to subscribers to our electronic newsletter. WPP]

With the recent election of my friend John Spezze to the office of Chaffee County sheriff, and as I prepare to leave that office in January, allow me to review with you the past four years of this administration.

When we campaigned for this office in 2010, I promised voters three things should I be elected to office: transparency and openness of operations, professional management of the agency, and independence of judgment and action.

Transparency.  I cannot think of another public agency in this county that has been more open, more transparent, or as responsive as this one.  Our efforts include:

**A website created the very first month in office where we post all press releases and the monthly summary report to the commissioners.

**A comprehensive monthly summary report, as noted above, that reports not only the positive, but any complaints or misconduct allegations received as well as the outcome of any internal personnel investigation.

**We’re on Facebook, allowing us another medium to connect with the public.

**Notes from our monthly supervisor staff meetings are disseminated to all employees.

**Frequent press releases on major incidents, arrests, search and seizure missions, and any other information important to the public.

**Responsiveness to the news media — local, regional, and national.  We answer ALL queries by reporters, withholding only those details that on the rare occasion we are required by law or county policy to do so.

**We have had no executive sessions, those closed to the public, with the county commissioners nor have we relied on a lawyer-client privilege to prevent disclosure of information that rightfully should be accessible to the public.

Professional management.  From the very first meeting with our employees in 2011, we emphasized communication, cooperation, and collaboration with other agencies.  As a result we’ve enjoyed excellent working relations with other law enforcement agencies, the district attorney’s and coroner’s offices, the board of county commissioners, other elected officials, and the press.  In addition:

**Employees attend training and conferences across the state, many of these aimed at professional development of our employees to promote their careers and to avoid a parochial mindset.

**We achieved state accreditation by the Colorado sheriffs and police chiefs associations.

**All allegations of employee misconduct are investigated, regardless of the source or nature of the case, and the results of the investigation are reported to the complainant if his or her identity is known.

**Uniforms and equipment have been updated and standardized, thanks to a board of county commissioners that approved funding for these improvements.

**We insist that our employees exercise courtesy with one another, as well as the public; assure they are fully accountable for their actions; and stress that their role is one of problem solving, not merely enforcement of the law.

Independence of judgment and action.  From the earliest, our commitment has been to exercise fairness, impartiality, and rational decision-making and to avoid any appearance of favoritism, cronyism, or nepotism.  To that end:

**As a Democrat, I selected John Spezze, a Republican, for undersheriff, not because or in spite of his party affiliation, but because of his skills and experience and the balance he brought to the administration.

**It was my decision to decline joining a lawsuit by several other sheriffs challenging the firearms legislation passed last year.  While controversial to some, this stand reflects my commitment to “stay in your own lane,” to avoid injecting political and ideological elements into the office of sheriff.  It is inappropriate, in my view, for an elected official to declare that he or she will not enforce laws that have been passed by an elected legislature and signed into law by an elected governor.  Do not allow your officials to take that dangerous path.

Our work has not been universally successful.  Some discouraging efforts:

**Last year, we inaugurated a citizen advisory committee composed of eight prominent members of the community.  The intent was to provide us one additional means to interact with the public, to gain advice on proposed programs, and to encourage advocacy by the group for proposals we felt were of benefit to the public.  Unfortunately, although the project started strongly enough it soon withered on the vine.  I take responsibility for this failure for not providing the encouragement and direction necessary for the program’s success.

**In August, we announced through a press release that the sheriff’s office was creating a citizen police academy.  Meeting once a week for eight weeks, the academy was yet another effort on our part to encourage citizen participation and to promote mutual understanding of our work and the public’s expectations.  Although similar programs in other agencies have proved extremely popular with the public, ours failed to generate much interest.  We received only eight applications (two of which were invalid) and cancelled the program.

**For the protection of the public as well as our deputies, we proposed an ordinance to the county commissioners that would prohibit anyone from disobeying a lawful order of an emergency worker at the scene of an emergency or disaster.  Similar ordinances are in effect in most jurisdictions around the state, including Salida and Buena Vista.  Unfortunately, the commissioners chose to rely on advice from the local defense bar rather than the sheriff and the county attorney who drafted the ordinance.  It was rejected by the commissioners.

The next four years.  As the new sheriff assumes office, he’ll face these challenges:

**With a patrol staff of just eight full-time deputies serving a population in the unincorporated area of ten thousand residents spread over hundreds of square miles, this agency is severely understaffed.  I have been stating this fact to the county commissioners and to the public since taking office in 2011.  In my view, we should have at least four additional deputies fully equipped and trained assigned to patrol.

**Turnover in jail staff remains a problem, due primarily to low salaries that are not competitive with similar positions in the county and state.

**There is a critical need for a comprehensive rewriting of the jail’s policies and procedures.  This will require staff time and funding, both of which are in short supply.

**Our pay structure is irrational and salaries inadequate.  Due to budget constraints we’ve never been able to address these issues with any success.

**Inadequate facilities.  Our employees, especially our patrol deputies, occupy office space beneath the courts that are cramped, inefficient, and uncomfortable.

Finally, allow me to say unequivocally that the past four years as your sheriff have been among the most meaningful in a career that’s spanned more than forty years in municipal, international, and county law enforcement.  I wish all our citizens the best in the coming years, and our employees a career that will be as satisfying as the one from which I’ll soon retire.

W. Peter Palmer

Chaffee County Sheriff

…

With the recent election of my friend John Spezze to the office of Chaffee County sheriff, and as I prepare to leave that office in January, allow me to review with you the past four years of this administration.

When we campaigned for this office in 2010, I promised voters three things should I be elected to office: transparency and openness of operations, professional management of the agency, and independence of judgment and action.

Transparency.  I cannot think of another public agency in this county that has been more open, more transparent, or as responsive as this one.  Our efforts include:

• A website created the very first month in office where we post all press releases and the monthly summary report to the commissioners.
• A comprehensive monthly summary report, as noted above, that reports not only the positive, but any complaints or misconduct allegations received as well as the outcome of any internal personnel investigation.
• We’re on Facebook, allowing us another medium to connect with the public.
• Notes from our monthly supervisor staff meetings are disseminated to all employees.
• Frequent press releases on major incidents, arrests, search and seizure missions, and any other information important to the public.
• Responsiveness to the news media — local, regional, and national.  We answer ALL queries by reporters, withholding only those details that on the rare occasion we are required by law or county policy to do so.
• We have had no executive sessions, those closed to the public, with the county commissioners nor have we relied on a lawyer-client privilege to prevent disclosure of information that rightfully should be accessible to the public.Professional management.  From the very first meeting with our employees in 2011, we emphasized communication, cooperation, and collaboration with other agencies.  As a result we’ve enjoyed excellent working relations with other law enforcement agencies, the district attorney’s and coroner’s offices, the board of county commissioners, other elected officials, and the press.  In addition:

• Employees attend training and conferences across the state, many of these aimed at professional development of our employees to promote their careers and to avoid a parochial mindset.
• We achieved state accreditation by the Colorado sheriffs and police chiefs associations.
• All allegations of employee misconduct are investigated, regardless of the source or nature of the case, and the results of the investigation are reported to the complainant if his or her identity is known.
• Uniforms and equipment have been updated and standardized, thanks to a board of county commissioners that approved funding for these improvements.
• We insist that our employees exercise courtesy with one another, as well as the public; assure they are fully accountable for their actions; and stress that their role is one of problem solving, not merely enforcement of the law.Independence of judgment and action.  From the earliest, our commitment has been to exercise fairness, impartiality, and rational decision-making and to avoid any appearance of favoritism, cronyism, or nepotism.  To that end:

• As a Democrat, I selected John Spezze, a Republican, for undersheriff, not because or in spite of his party affiliation, but because of his skills and experience and the balance he brought to the administration.
• It was my decision to decline joining a lawsuit by several other sheriffs challenging the firearms legislation passed last year.  While controversial to some, this stand reflects my commitment to “stay in your own lane,” to avoid injecting political and ideological elements into the office of sheriff.  It is inappropriate, in my view, for an elected official to declare that he or she will not enforce laws that have been passed by an elected legislature and signed into law by an elected governor.  Do not allow your officials to take that dangerous path.Our work has not been universally successful.  Some discouraging efforts:

• Last year, we inaugurated a citizen advisory committee composed of eight prominent members of the community.  The intent was to provide us one additional means to interact with the public, to gain advice on proposed programs, and to encourage advocacy by the group for proposals we felt were of benefit to the public.  Unfortunately, although the project started strongly enough it soon withered on the vine.  I take responsibility for this failure for not providing the encouragement and direction necessary for the program’s success.
• In August, we announced through a press release that the sheriff’s office was creating a citizen police academy.  Meeting once a week for eight weeks, the academy was yet another effort on our part to encourage citizen participation and to promote mutual understanding of our work and the public’s expectations.  Although similar programs in other agencies have proved extremely popular with the public, ours failed to generate much interest.  We received only eight applications (two of which were invalid) and cancelled the program.
• For the protection of the public as well as our deputies, we proposed an ordinance to the county commissioners that would prohibit anyone from disobeying a lawful order of an emergency worker at the scene of an emergency or disaster.  Similar ordinances are in effect in most jurisdictions around the state, including Salida and Buena Vista.  Unfortunately, the commissioners chose to rely on advice from the local defense bar rather than the sheriff and the county attorney who drafted the ordinance.  It was rejected by the commissioners.The next four years.  As the new sheriff assumes office, he’ll face these challenges:

• With a patrol staff of just eight full-time deputies serving a population in the unincorporated area of ten thousand residents spread over hundreds of square miles, this agency is severely understaffed.  I have been stating this fact to the county commissioners and to the public since taking office in 2011.  In my view, we should have at least four additional deputies fully equipped and trained assigned to patrol.
• Turnover in jail staff remains a problem, due primarily to low salaries that are not competitive with similar positions in the county and state.
• There is a critical need for a comprehensive rewriting of the jail’s policies and procedures.  This will require staff time and funding, both of which are in short supply.
• Our pay structure is irrational and salaries inadequate.  Due to budget constraints we’ve never been able to address these issues with any success.
• Inadequate facilities.  Our employees, especially our patrol deputies, occupy office space beneath the courts that are cramped, inefficient, and uncomfortable.Finally, allow me to say unequivocally that the past four years as your sheriff have been among the most meaningful in a career that’s spanned more than forty years in municipal, international, and county law enforcement.  I wish all our citizens the best in the coming years, and our employees a career that will be as satisfying as the one from which I’ll soon retire.

   

  W. Peter Palmer

  Chaffee County Sheriff