Greg Owen

Republican Party

How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people?

I have spent the last 14 years serving the Citizens of Fremont County at the Fremont County Sheriff's Office.  Out of those 14 years, more than a decade have been in supervisor roles, 5 years of that I have been serving as first the Lieutenant and then the Captain over Patrol and Investigations.  I have worked closely with staff and understand the issues that the agency and the county are facing when it comes to law enforcement.  I have established strong relationships with other leaders within the community and I am prepared to make the changes necessary to move the agency forward.  I understand that the people of Fremont County want a Sheriff who is visible and accessible to them. Equally important, the staff needs a Sheriff who is supportive of them.  I am running because I am and will continue to be accountable, transparent, and I am motivated by my desire to see this community and agency have the leadership that serves them well.

What are your top policy priorities?

My top priorities are strengthening public safety, supporting and retaining the employees of the Sheriff's Office, and cultivating a culture that is transparent and accountable to the citizens of Fremont County.

I believe that investing in our current employees is critical to our success as a Sheriff's Office.  Law enforcement across the country has struggled in recent years to recruit and retain qualified personnel and unfortunately Fremont County is not an exception.  We heavily invest in our personnel to make them the best deputies to serve this community only to lose them due to our agency not being able to compete with surrounding areas in pay structure.  An investment in personnel pay has to be made if we are to have any realistic expectations to be able to grow the agency and provide the service that the citizens of Fremont County expect and deserve.  Public safety is the biggest responsibility for the Sheriff's Office. Constantly hiring and training new personnel on a continuous loop heavily impacts how effective we can be in providing exceptional service. It takes two to three years, and an exorbitant amount of resources to take a new hire with no prior experience and make them a solid, well-rounded Deputy. If they move on after their training, then we have to start over again with someone else, and those resources and time spent get to be absorbed by other agencies and we become a revolving door, building up amazing Deputies who, due to lack of pay and cost of living increases and their skills being realized and compensated better elsewhere, leave our agency.  

I am and always have been committed to accountability. The Sheriff's Office belongs to the people of Fremont, and they deserve a Sheriff that is committed to retain the men and women who are trained and equipped to serve exceptionally. The people deserve a department that is responsive, listens to their concerns, sets a high standard, and always strives to earn and keep the trust of the public.

What is one issue you think is being overlooked in this race, and how would you address it? 

I have spent my time while campaigning asking the people of Fremont County that question, and public trust is one of the biggest concerns raised. The people want a Sheriff who will take the time to hear and address those concerns, handle issues that may arise within the agency, and educate them on what the men and women who serve them are facing and what ways we can better serve them. I have talked very openly about many issues that Fremont County and the State of Colorado are dealing with.  One of the bigger issues at the State level is legislation that is passed that affects public safety. One major issue is when offenders are arrested, they get out almost immediately and then continue to reoffend.  There is a significant disconnect between the larger cities and the rural areas of Colorado. Laws being passed without consideration of the different struggles that rural Colorado faces.  The rural areas need to have a voice that will be heard at the legislative level. I will be a Sheriff who will serve the people both here locally, as well as addressing issues with State Legislators and working with other Sheriffs, focusing heavily on how our county as a whole can be better served.  

My primary focus is to serve the Citizens of Fremont County. The Sheriff has many responsibilities, accountability to the people he is sworn to protect, as well as the men and women who serve and protect alongside him, and I am prepared to take those responsibilities head-on. 

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.