One of the core public safety functions of the county is a properly staffed Sheriff’s Office. The department’s annual budget is about $9.4 million, which makes up approximately 44 percent of the county’s General Fund.

The department has multiple roles including patrol, investigations, emergency management, and the jail. The department is the designated emergency response lead for the county, operates an emergency notification system and provides a school resource officer for Clear Creek High School.

While the department is maintaining a high level of service, there are several concerns created by the current budget crunch, including:

• The department is down at least four positions—three deputies and a sergeant—to provide adequate patrol coverage. This has been exacerbated by the closure of the police department in Georgetown, which further stretches the resources of the Sheriff’s Office.

• Recruitment and retention are challenging since Clear Creek County offers lower salaries and retirement benefits than neighboring agencies. The department needs to be more competitive to attract and keep deputies and staff and to limit the high cost of training personnel who leave the county for higher paying jobs.

• Under the current administration, the department has made significant progress with budget management, supervisor oversight and accountability, policy compliance, training requirements, public information, and community engagement. This forward momentum is at risk of stalling without sufficient funding.