WALSENBURG — City leaders in Walsenburg are scrambling for solutions after the sheriff gave notice that his deputies will no longer patrol in the city starting next year.
This comes after Huerfano County Sheriff Bruce Newman sent a letter to city leaders saying his deputies are unable to spend adequate time in the county as they are so stretched thin.
Huerfano County Sheriff's Office to no longer patrol Walsenburg starting next year
Walsenburg's Mayor, Gary Vezzani, remains optimistic that the city will find a solution. In a council meeting Tuesday, they set a date for a future meeting to discuss the sheriff's office's contract.
"There's a lot of ifs ahead of us and guessing, you know, I met with them today and I've been friends with Bruce (Newman) for a long time and the commissioner," said Mayor Vezzani. "As far as that goes, I think we'll work together."
The special meeting to discuss the future of law enforcement in the city will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at Walsenburg City Hall.
Sheriff Newman tells News 5 his deputies will continue to assist in the city until they are able to find another solution, which could mean bringing back the police department there.
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Sheriff Newman says, starting next year, his deputies will no longer patrol the City of Walsenburg. He tells News5 he notified the mayor and city council after extensive talks about the city potentially forming its own police force.
The sheriff tells us he realizes it will be a challenge to find applicants, but says he cannot continue to see his staff be stretched thin.
You can read the sheriff's letter to city leaders below:
Walsenburg dissolved its police department in January 2017, folding the city into the jurisdiction of the sheriff's office.
Mayor Vezzani tells News5 he still hopes to retain the sheriff's office, especially since voters will not be able to decide whether they want a city police department until November 2025.
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