Gary Cure, County Sheriffs of Colorado, Courtesy photo
Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall, right, listens to Weld County Sheriff John Cooke speak during a talk they gave Monday at the County Sheriffs of Colorado conference for new sheriffs.
Gary Wall preaches office independence to a group of new Colorado sheriffs
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Steamboat Springs — Outgoing Routt County Sheriff Gary Wall, notorious for ongoing battles with the Routt County Board of Commissioners, stressed the importance of maintaining control of a sheriff’s office with Colorado’s new top law enforcement officials Monday.
Wall was asked to speak in Littleton as part of a two-week, 80-hour County Sheriffs of Colorado course that first-time sheriffs are required to take before entering office. Wall specifically spoke about sheriffs constitutionally being able to make their own policy decisions independently of county commissioners.
“The County Sheriffs of Colorado takes a strong position on that separation,” Wall said.
Seventeen incoming sheriffs listened to Wall, who shared a two-hour discussion with Weld County Sheriff John Cooke. The audience included Routt County’s next sheriff, Garrett Wiggins, who defeated Wall in the November election and will take office Jan. 11.
Wall’s desire to maintain control and independence of his sheriff’s office from county rules and policies has resulted in ongoing disputes with Routt County commissioners.
“It’s my personal opinion that Gary did not want to cooperate with elected officials,” Routt County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nancy Stahoviak said Wednesday.
“They set the budget, but they don’t get to do anything else with the operation of the office,” Wall said about commissioners.
Controversy started early in Wall’s tenure as sheriff, when Undersheriff David Bustos got into a fender bender while driving a county-owned vehicle to pick up a desk in Utah.
After the incident, Wall revealed that he had changed Routt County Sheriff’s Office policies to allow deputies to use vehicles for personal use. Among other things, Wall argued that it gave the Sheriff’s Office more of a presence in the county, but his policy directly contradicted the county’s.
“My employees are employees of the sheriff,” Wall reiterated Tuesday. “They’re not county employees.”
Wall said he hoped the new sheriffs he spoke to feel empowered to stand up for the office of the sheriff, as he feels he did.
“I fought the battles rather than rolling over and folding over like a cheap chair,” Wall said.
Wiggins said he recognizes the importance of a sheriff’s office maintaining independence but he plans to take a more cooperative approach with commissioners.
“I think we’ll get along just fine,” Wiggins said.
Comments
ftpheide 2 years, 5 months ago
"cheap chair", Did you let the audience know that you weren't relected?
justice4all 2 years, 5 months ago
Gary was not re-elected. Wiggins was. If this had not been a republican year, thanks to the idiocracies of HUSSIAN ZERO BAMA, Wiggins would have not stood a chance! With the suggestion of hiring JOSEPH DeAngelo for undersheriff, Wigging has shown his intent of lowering the standards of professionalism in the department. I sincerly hope that his next choice is better than the first one. Also, the next choice needs to remember that he was not the first choice!
Scott Wedel 2 years, 5 months ago
I don't think Wall was asked to speak because newly elected sheriffs plan on following in his footsteps, but he does have more experience than most in asserting the sheriff's dept independence from the county. So the newly elected sheriffs can understand a bit of what happens if they feel there are issues that they just cannot go along with their county government.
I note that Wiggins ran a campaign emphasizing his character and consistently said in forums nothing indicating any serious law enforcement differences from Gary Wall's. So he should not claim he has any mandate to do anything than be a more genial form of sheriff,
Mike Heineke 2 years, 5 months ago
justice4all? Did you intend to say something with your rant? I have never come across anyone in my lifetime that didn't have a different opinion with elected officials from time to time. And I'm sorry, but do you not know the name of our President? You have a sweet day justiceidiot4all!
Clare 2 years, 5 months ago
justice, seems to me you've been in hibernation the last four years...The standards can't get much LOWER...wait, standards. Oh, you must be refering to the double standards.
ftpheide 2 years, 5 months ago
justice, The Sheriffs Office, under Wall, doesn't have any professional standards! If it makes you feel better to blame Wall's defeat on a democratic president - go for it! Are you one, of the current employees, that is allowed to use a county vehicle for your personal use? If so, you should look into getting your own trasnportation prior to January 11th, 2011. That's when the four year long party, paid for by the taxpayers, will be ending at the SO!
tcb 2 years, 5 months ago
How did that whole being contrary experiment work out for you wall? see you later,
ftpheide 2 years, 5 months ago
yampa valley BOY, Is that ALL youv'e got?
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