Teller Co. Sheriff breaks silence via social media following 13 Investigates Special Report
TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Teller County Sheriff is breaking his silence regarding current deputy Brandon Victor five days after a 13 Investigates report revealing at least seven of the deputy's former colleagues raised concerns about his behavior.
Sheriff Jason Mikesell came to his deputy's defense through a Facbook post on the Teller County Sheriff's Office page on Tuesday. Mikesell said Brandon Victor is a good deputy, and he is proud to stand behind him.
"I firmly believe he is a good man whom I have seen to work well with all of our deputies and loves working here in this community," Mikesell said via Facebook. "I have received several letters from community members whom have had wonderful interactions with Brandon and all of our deputies. Who I hope if in an hour of need he is with me or helping my family."
Victor worked as a Pueblo police officer from 2018 to 2020. Some of his former fellow officers described him as a "loose cannon," "reckless," and "aggressive" during an internal affairs investigation into Victor's third officer-involved shooting in 10 months. The 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office ruled all three of Victor's shootings justified.
"He is going to get one of us killed," said one fellow Pueblo police officer. "Or he’s going to end up going to jail, or a civil lawsuit. Frankly, I don't want to work with him."
Victor resigned from the job in July of 2020 amid an internal affairs review related to his shootings. The Teller County Sheriff's Office hired Victor as a deputy in June 2021.
It was in November when 13 Investigates first started asking the Teller County Sheriff's Office and the County questions about Victor.
13 Investigates requested to speak with Sheriff Mikesell multiple times, but he never agreed to talk or provide answers to our questions, including questions about the department's hiring policies and procedures for potential deputies.
Sheriff Mikesell did address his agency's hiring practices in the Facebook post, describing them as "very stringent."
"Requiring oral board interviews, integrity interviews, backgrounds done by my detectives and psychological interviews done by licensed professionals before I make the final decision to hire," Sheriff Mikesell said. "We also review IA or internal Affair reports as well."
The family of one of the suspects Victor shot and killed as a Pueblo police officer has filed a federal lawsuit seeking damages, alleging excessive force. The litigation is ongoing.
13 Investigates reached out again to Sheriff Mikesell Tuesday night for an interview. Mikesell again declined to interview with us or comment beyond his Facebook statement.
Read the full Facebook statement below:
