Agencies discuss high risk evictions following deputy’s death
Following a Park County deputy’s death, law enforcement agencies say despite training, high-risk evictions remain inherently dangerous.
Corporal Nate Carrigan was killed at a home in Bailey where he was serving an eviction to Martin Wirth. Wirth also shot Master Patrol Deputy Kolby Martin multiple times in his legs. He is in critical condition. Wirth died in the shooting.
The Park County Sheriff’s Office says that when the deputies arrived at Wirth’s home, he walked out onto his deck, paused and then went back inside. The deputies followed Wirth inside, at which time Wirth began shooting.
Deputies had run-ins with Wirth in the past. However, Park County SheriffFred Wegener said while this could be considered a high-risk eviction, it also was a routine call.
“We responded to Martin Wirth’s residence in 2014 for the same type of eviction and had a peaceful resolve,” sadi Wegener.
In some parts of the state, a SWAT team is utilized to carry out high-risk evictions. Wegener said it’s not an option in Park County.
“I wish we had all those resources. I don’t,” said Wegener.
SWAT teams are also rarely utilized for high-risk evictions carried out by the El Paso County and Pueblo County Sheriff’s Offices.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Jacqueline Kirby said deputies carry out around 30 evictions every day. With such a high volume of calls, it’s not possible to send a SWAT team every time.
“It’s difficult to send SWAT resources to anything that could be deemed high risk because the reality is, when ever any officer or deputy puts on the uniform, anything they do could be considered high risk,” said Kirby.
Deputies typically work alone, but can call for backup if they feel the situation warrants it.
“We are contacting people on some of the worst days of their lives and so it can be very emotional, and very stressful for people and sometimes their reaction to that is not always safe for our deputies,” said Kirby.
Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor said officers can have the background information they need and the training, but it’s still impossible to know what will happen during an eviction.
“You’re displacing someone from their home so it has potential to be a very high-risk situation,” said Taylor.
Taylor cited one example where deputies responded to a home and found pipe bombs and bomb making material in the home. Deputies have found other hazards at homes during other eviction calls.
“There are foreclosures where people put razor blades in the sockets. Booby traps,” said Taylor.
While these calls can be dangerous, Taylor said risks come with a job in law enforcement.
Kirby and Taylor said after the Park County Sheriff’s Office has had time to grieve, the agencies will look at how deputies handled Wirth’s eviction so everyone can analyze their own protocol to see what improvements can be made.
