El paso county sheriff

In the six months leading up to the June 26 primary election, in which El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder was vying for the Republican nomination, the county relentlessly touted its marijuana eradication efforts.Records show the office put out releases about its busts up to four times a month.A crackdown on black market marijuana growers was a pillar of Elder’s re-election campaign — he appeared at many of the busts to give interviews. Colorado Springs News How big is the black market for marijuana in El Paso, Teller counties? This map gives an idea Kaitlin Durbin 7 min to read According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were serving more warrants for illegal pot grows than for any other crime. “That is an incredible tempo,” Elder said. “It completely obliterates anything that we’ve done in past years, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.”He promised not to let up.And records indicate he hasn’t — deputies have … [Read more...] about Marijuana busts weren’t campaign ploy, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says, as raids continue

A federal court jury ruled Friday that the El Paso County Sheriff's Office didn't violate federal employment law in firing former sheriff’s Sgt. John Huntz.Huntz, who couldn’t fire a gun because of a shoulder injury, was reassigned in 2015 to a midnight security shift at the jail, where he was expected to "patrol violent inmates" and "break up fights," his attorney, Ian Kalmanowitz, said Monday in U.S. District Court in Denver.Huntz sued Sheriff Bill Elder, alleging that the transfer was retaliation by high-ranking sheriff’s officials because his then-wife, a dispatch supervisor for the agency, had reported sexual harassment by a commander.He went on leave in January 2015, coinciding with his reassignment to the jail, a county news release says."He continued on leave with two different medical issues for nearly eight months," the release says. "His employment was terminated in August when he did not return to work, failed to respond … [Read more...] about Federal jury rules in favor of El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in retaliation lawsuit

DENVER — A former El Paso County sheriff’s sergeant who couldn’t fire a gun because of a shoulder injury was reassigned in 2015 to a midnight security shift at the jail, where he was expected to “patrol violent inmates” and “break up fights,” his attorney said Monday in U.S. District Court in Denver.John Huntz is suing Sheriff Bill Elder, alleging that the transfer was retaliation from high-ranking sheriff’s officials because his then-wife, a dispatch supervisor for the agency, had reported sexual harassment by a commander.“He knew he couldn’t do the job,” Colorado Springs employment lawyer Ian Kalmanowitz said during opening arguments. “You can’t put a one-armed man in the jail and keep your deputies safe, keep your sergeants safe, keep your inmates safe.”But Elder testified that Huntz was ordered off his job as training sergeant because his agency had a candidate who would be a better fit for the … [Read more...] about Federal court hears discrimination complaint against El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder

A former El Paso County sheriff’s deputy who was forced to resign after a complaint was filed about his use of force in the jail has flied a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation for supporting another deputy’s sexual harassment claim.Patrick Smith, who is African-American, was employed by the Sheriff’s Office for nearly 14 years before resigning June 12, 2017, one month after he used force against an inmate who flipped him off, the lawsuit filed this month in U.S. District Court stated. Colorado Springs News El Paso County likely to pay $60,000 to settle ACLU lawsuit over woman kept in jail because she couldn't pay $55 Rachel Riley The professional standards complaint made by Undersheriff Joe Breister stated Smith “responded by punching (the inmate) in the face and knocking him to the ground.” The lawsuit contends video shows he didn’t punch the inmate and a memo from an Internal Affairs sergeant says Smith … [Read more...] about Former El Paso County sheriff’s deputy claims racial discrimination, retaliation in lawsuit

A former El Paso County sheriff's deputy who was forced to resign after a complaint was filed about his use of force in the jail has flied a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and retaliation for supporting another deputy's sexual-harassment claim.Patrick Smith, who is African-American, was employed by the Sheriff's Office for nearly 14 years before resigning June 12, 2017, one month after he used force against an inmate who flipped him off, the lawsuit filed this month in U.S. District Court stated. Colorado Springs News El Paso County likely to pay $60,000 to settle ACLU lawsuit over woman kept in jail because she couldn't pay $55 Rachel Riley The professional standards complaint made by Undersheriff Joe Breister stated Smith "responded by punching (the inmate) in the face and knocking him to the ground," the lawsuit contends video shows he didn't punch the inmate and a memo from an Internal Affairs sergeant contradicts that account, saying Smith "redirected (the … [Read more...] about Former El Paso County sheriff’s deputy claims to be victim of racial discrimination, retaliation in lawsuit