WEEK OF MAY 9, 2024
VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 22
FREE
Police union blasts sheriff, county
Our newsroom wants to know what matters to you this election year BY MEGAN VERLEE AND CCM STAFF
the Sheriff and the County have committed multiple unfair labor practices under Colorado Law.” The union did not respond to requests for comment from the Douglas County News-Press. Undersheriff David Walcher took issue with the union’s characterization of the sheriff ’s office, saying leaders “didn’t intimidate or ‘interfere’ with anyone or anything.”
One month ago, newsrooms across the state, including ours, launched an ambitious project: invite the people of Colorado to tell us what they want politicians to talk about in this election, and use their answers to help guide the stories we tell. So far, more than 3,100 people from around the state have responded to that call and filled out the Voter Voices survey. About 100 of the respondents are readers of Colorado Community Media’s two dozen metro area newspapers. What should candidates for public office focus on this year? “Their integrity, work ethic, and vision for our country or the entity they will be representing,” said Mindy Mohr, a reader from Arvada. Mohr listed “democracy and good government” as a top concern, with abortion and the economy/ cost of living as important issues as well. The Coloradans who filled out our survey so far make it clear they want politicians to discuss issues like the environment, housing affordability, immigration, health care and education. In Walsh, on the southeastern plains, a shortage of health care workers is a driving concern for Rita Hetrick. She runs the long-term care facility in the town of roughly 540 people. Instead of drawing on a local workforce, she relies on pricey staffing agencies. “We don’t have a stream of cash that’s just available when you’re a small, rural facility.” Hetrick told Voter Voices that state and federal regulations exacerbate the problem and it’s something she wants to see politicians tackle. Many have also written about their concerns for our democracy itself. “I want candidates to discuss wholesale reform of our country’s and Colorado’s constitution,” wrote Juan Manuel
SEE ALLEGATIONS, P8
SEE SURVEY, P9
A sign marks the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center near Castle Rock, pictured in PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD February. BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A local police union has accused Sheriff Darren Weekly and other Douglas County officials of engaging in unfair labor practices during an effort to unionize the sheriff ’s office. The accusations come as the union — the local Fraternal Order of Police branch — canceled an election that would have al-
lowed sheriff ’s office employees to choose to be represented by the union. The union indicated that it may try to reschedule the election in the coming months. “Despite recent events, we remain committed to moving forward with this important initiative,” the FOP branch wrote on its Facebook page, adding: “We decided that going forward would not be prudent because we believe that
VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19 | PUZZLES: 24
PARKERCHRONICLE.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA