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OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF /9/
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Ed Jordan
John S. Folsom
7050 Loma Linda Ct.
Longmont, CO 80504
Dear Mr. Folsom,
I received your letter dated May 21, 1998, and there are several points that I believe that I must
respond to.
First let me say that staffing of the patrol department is a very complicated issue, and a is not as
simple as just adding staff. The Board of County Commissioners do have the responsibility to
provide funding, as well as approve additional positions for the Sheriffs Office. Let me also say
that I have not requested additional staff for patrol in the past. We are currently doing a 5-10
year plan to try to anticipate our future needs. The plan will attempt to anticipate the staffing
levels needed to continue providing basic law enforcement service to the entire County for the
study period.
I have also heard from other sources that agencies such as the Longmont Police Department has
been called to assist on calls for service when our Deputies are busy on other calls. My staff met
with Chief Butler recently to discuss that very issue, and during that meeting it was not
determined that there were an inordinate number of calls for assistance. Since all requests for
assistance come from the Weld County Communications, it was often assumed that the request
was coming from the Sheriffs Office, when in fact on some occasions it was coming from some
of the municipal law enforcement agencies in the area. That is not to say that we don't call for
mutual aid, however, I don't believe it is to the extent that has been characterized by the rumors.
By the way it is not uncommon for us to be called upon to assist other law enforcement agencies,
and in fact in the first 4 months of 1998, we have logged 538 assist other agencies call for
service. This figure would include not only Longmont Police, but the other municipal agencies
as well.
Greeley Office, 910 10th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631, (970)356-4015 or 1-800-436-9276, FAX (970) 353-8551
North Jail Complex, 2110 O Street. Greeley, CO 80631., (970) 356-4015, FAX (970) 304-6460
Ft Lupton Sub-Station, 330 Park Avenue, Ft Lupton, CO 80621, (303) 857-4334, FAX (303) 857-3027
One of the tools we use for personnel requests would be our emergency response time, and up to
this point we have kept that response between 10 to 15 minutes on average. You have to keep in
mind that this is the average for the entire County, and includes areas that are 90 miles away.
Our Crime statistics have actually been lower than they were in the early to mid 70's, and on
average our criminal calls for service account for only about 20%to 25% of our calls for service.
Another problem with funding is the increasing growth of the jail population. The jail continues
to take more and more resources. The Commissioners have been more than willing to fund this
increase, however when you include these increases with the entire criminal justice budget, it is
obvious that criminal justice has experienced a large increase. I have discussed the need to
consider patrol expansion with the Commissioners however, and overall they have been
receptive to the idea.
Both the Commissioners and I feel very strong about responsible Government spending of your
tax dollars. We will continue to be very frugal in those considerations, and will base increases
on real need that can be documented and verified.
As far as Casagrande Estates-Enchanted Hills, I believe we already have a Neighborhood Watch
program, and you will be sent the information on who to contact. I appreciate your letter, and
would be more than happy to discuss any further questions you may have.
Sine
LL
Edrdan
Sheriff
Weld County
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✓CC:Board of County Commissioners
Greeley Office, 919 10th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80631, (970)356-4015 or 1-800-436-9276, FAX (970) 353-8551
North Jail Complex, 2110 O Street, Greeley, CO 80631., (970) 356-4015, FAX (970) 304-6460
Ft Lupton Sub-Station, 330 Park Avenue, Ft Lupton. CO 80621, (303) 857-4334, FAX (303) 857-3027
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WELD COL rf
7050 Loma Linda Ct. n
Longmont CO 80504 _
[Rural Weld County]'
303 833 2992
May 21, 1998
Ed Jordan, Weld County Sheriff
910 10th Avenue
Greeley CO 80631
Dear Sheriff;
I am in receipt of a letter from your office [dated 3/2/98, copy enclosed] requesting input from
the residents of Evanston for a Neighborhood Watch Program. I commend your department
for its participation and efforts to implement a program of citizen assistance in law
enforcement. However, citizen concerns and the apparent necessity of such a program reveals
the apparent inadequacy of staffing of the Weld County sheriff's Department in this area. This
inadequacy in the number of personnel available is also indicated by the number of calls
referred to surrounding jurisdictions [notably the City of Longmont] in the MUD-Del
Camino-Tri-Town area receive to respond to calls in the County that Deputies are unable to
respond to in a timely fashion.
Commendable as your department's participation in a Neighborhood Watch Program and
putting member citizens at a potential risk however small, it might be more efficacious for
adequate law enforcement in the area to persuade the Weld Board of County Commissioners
to increase the staffing of your Department. You might even consult with the Weld County
Council, which I understand is interested in evaluating the Board's application of County
funds [although apparently by applying the dubious incentive of salary merit increases for the
Board's performance of duties for which they are already paid]. It would seem only equitable
that some of the increased tax revenues the County receives from the rapid urbanization of
this area be assigned to increasing the staffing of your Department.
I have forwarded the subject inquiry letter from Deputy Broderius to my tenant in Evanston. I
am a resident of the Casagrande Estates-Enchanted Hills area of the County. Over the twenty
five years I have been here, we have been able to look after ourselves pretty much. However,
if you would care to send me a copy of your Neighborhood Watch Program, I would canvass
to see if there was any interest amongst my neighbors in participating. Unfortunately, the
County has either permitted or petitioned to be annexed to the Town of Firestone most of the
roads around us, so that they are out of your Department's jurisdiction and we must rely on
that Town's police for enforcement.
Very truly yours,
John S. Folsom
Enclosure
neiwatch.doc
PC: Weld Board of County Commissioners, Weld County AY U� 980980
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