Nine Year Low

A more than nine year low for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office that directly affects your safety. The Sheriff’s Office just released its 2011 use of force statistical summary. It indicates that officers had to use force 35 times against people in 2011. In 2010, deputies had to use force 48 times. In 2009, deputies used force 35 times to defuse a situation.

EPSO Sgt Mike Schaller tells me there are various reasons for the drop in deputies using force. He believes a revised use of force policy, updated training and a staff psychologist are part of it. A psychologist can help officers have better talking skills and helps them understand the environment and the people who they are having to respond to during a service call.

Sgt Schaller said, “Our job is go to home safe at night and to protect the community with little or no injury if possible.” Deputies had nearly half of all use of force incidents during the swing shift which is 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. That time period is when the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has the highest volume of calls.