Maketa Opens Up About Decision

COLORADO SPRINGS –NEWSCHANNEL 13first told you Wednesday of El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa’s decision not to seek re-election in November. Maketa has called the Sheriff’s Office home for more than two decades, serving in the top spot the past 8 years. Next election, he won’t be on the ballot. He made the announcement Wednesday, but says he was too emotional to go on camera.NEWSCHANNEL 13caught up with himThursday morning. “DoI have the energy, the passion? Am I willing to make the sacrifices? When you start getting the answer ‘no’ to those, then you realize it’s not the right thing to do,” says Maketa.

He says that realizationsteered him away from re-election.Maketa says the biggest obstacle to overcome in the decision-making process was seeing himself outside of law enforcement after 22 years.

“This has been all of my adult life to be honest,” he says.

But Maketa says over the past year he began thinking about entering a new stage in life.

“I still am young enough whereI can get out and start a new career,” he says.

Maketasays he is considering everything from the corporate world to self-employment.He says one thing he does not foresee in his immediate future is a career in politics.

“It’s not a priority of mine. It’s not a focus. It’s not even something I’m entertaining,” he says.Maketa says the next sheriff will have some big challenges with budget issues and staffing. “We need to increase patrol by 40 deputies. We need to increase jail staffing by 30,” he says. “Those are the types of challenges that person will be facing. Other than that, I think they’re walking into a great organization.”

Todd Evans became the first to declare his candidacy in the race for El Paso County Sheriff. The former El Paso County Sheriff’s Lieutenant made an official announcement Thursday afternoon.

Evans is endorsed by former El Paso County Sheriff John Anderson.

Sheriff Maketa says he will wait until later in the campaign process before endorsing a candidate.