Social media posts stoke flames in EPC sheriff’s office scandal

Social media posts by one of the women at the center of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office scandal and Sheriff Terry Maketa’s son are causing new controversy.

Tiffany Huntz, head of dispatcher training at the sheriff’s office, posted on Facebook “Since he is not my boss yet, I will use my freedom of speech to say Bill Elder is a moron.”

Elder will take over as El Paso County’s next sheriff on Jan. 1. The sheriff’s office said Thursday that Maketa will retire effective December 31.

The Facebook post by Huntz suggests that the incoming sheriff investigate the people he plans to bring back to the office, and calls him a profane name.

The first comment on the post is from Brian Maketa, whom sources say is the current sheriff’s son. He wrote, “187 Elder and his gang,” along with an expletive. The number 187 is a commonly known police code for murder.

Elder, reached in Denver while finishing state-required instruction for new sheriffs, said he became aware of the post after someone read it to him.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “It’s unfortunate. I think it’s just stuff you have to deal with. It’s part of the game, I guess. It’s the same silliness that’s been going on for the last 18 months.”

Eldeer was asked if the posts will jeopardize Huntz’s job when he assumes office.

“It’s her right to say what she wants to,” he said. “But all of this stuff factors into it.”

A KRDO NewsChannel 13 crew went to an address believed to be Huntz’s. A man came to the door identified himself as her father-in-law.

“We have no comment,” he said.

The sheriff’s office would neither confirm nor deny Huntz’s involvement in writing the post. The district attorney’s office said it’s inappropriate to comment on the situation.