Huerfano County offers city contract to keep sheriff working in Walsenburg after threats of leaving
WALSENBURG, Colo. (KRDO) - At Tuesday night's city council meeting, the public will learn about Walsenburg's budget for the upcoming year. A big part of that budget-- $897,206. That's the price tag allotted for the new city police force, but will a brand new law enforcement agency even come to fruition?
KRDO13 Investigates learned Huerfano County submitted a proposal to keep the sheriff's office patrolling the city of Walsenburg.
At the end of September, Huerfano County Sheriff Bruce Newman wrote a letter to Walsenburg's Mayor and City Council. He said, "It is not feasible to remain the sole provider of law enforcement service to the City [of Walsenburg] without compromising the safety and security of the rest of the county." In that letter, the sheriff said Jan. 1, 2025, was the cut-off date.
RELATED: Huerfano County Sheriff will stop working in Walsenburg, city creating new police department
However, with that deadline quickly approaching, it seems an agreement between the county and the city isn't off the table.
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"Their last proposal, actually, put in a lieutenant, or something that's just responsible to the city [of Walsenburg] on their payroll. So, it makes it quite a bit different than it was before," Mayor Gary Vezzani told KRDO13 Investigates.
He said the new proposal sent over by the county commissioners includes increased foot patrols, more of a presence in the city, along with a lieutenant position just to help within Walsenburg.
Vezzani said the new proposal for 2025 would give the city more time to get its police department up and running. "We're going to we're going to make it a good transition, and that gives us a little more time. [We] won't have to panic."
KRDO13 Investigates asked for an interview with Sheriff Newman. He declined. However, Huerfano County Administrator Carl Young said without this new proposal, the sheriff's office would have to make budget cuts. When asked what caused Huerfano County to offer to extend the sheriff's services through 2025 when previously the county stood by the sheriff's withdrawal.
Now the ball is in the city's court; the City Council and the Mayor will need to approve the proposal for the sheriff to stay in Walsenburg for 2025.
Meanwhile, the city will continue to work on setting up its own force in the background. Vezzani says while they've gotten some interest for police officer positions, they've only had one applicant for police chief.
