New deputies at the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office

PRESS RELEASE
July 3, 2023

Garfield County Sheriff Lou Vallario was delighted to swear in five new deputies at the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday, June 28, 2023. This brings the total number of deputies sworn in to the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office since May 17, 2023 to eight. Pictured from left to right are Deputies Burke, Marquez, Tafiti, McGruder and Andrade. They will fill current vacancies both in the patrol and in the detentions departments of the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office.

These newly sworn deputies and an addition to our administrative staff come from diverse backgrounds offering a variety of experience. Some have just completed their requirements for Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification in Colorado. Others come to us with experience from different agencies, and even other states.

One of our most recent patrol deputies began his career as a detentions deputy in Garfield County. He then attended Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy (CLETA) at CMC. He is now POST certified and has entered into our patrol division.

Each new employee begins his or her career attending an orientation program led by Sheriff Vallario. They will then work with deputies already in the Sheriff’s organization to learn the nuances of Garfield County and its residents. Those in patrol will learn a lot about the geography of our county, where roads go and where the county lines are, as well as where municipal, boundaries begin and end, and much more.

A detention deputy will learn, amongst other things, jail operations, the layout of the building and what to do if there is an emergency within the facility. Only by passing this training will they be allowed to solo, either as a patrol deputy or as a detention deputy within the jail.

It is always exciting when new people enter the organization or choose a career as a peace officer in Colorado. They bring new ideas and energy to an already dynamic occupation. The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office is proud to bring in new people, to work with them and teach them so that they can become active members of our team and better serve all the residents of Garfield County.

The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office still has a few openings to fill. If you are interested, go to our website at Garfield County Sheriff, then select the “employment” button. It links to our recruitment site, where you can follow the prompt to apply and begin a career in law enforcement.