Adams County Sheriff suspends division chief over gun incident

A top commander with the Adams County Sheriff's Office will be suspended after pointing a rifle at co-workers in January.

On Thursday, the Adams County Sheriffs told CBS News Colorado it had concluded an internal investigation into the conduct of Mark Mitchell, the division chief of patrol, and that Mitchell has been ordered to serve an unpaid three day suspension and will have to complete remedial firearm safety training.

Department video obtained by CBS News Colorado showed Mitchell walking into the Flatrock Regional Training Center at 23600 East 128th Avenue in Commerce City in January. According to a 1 minute video of the incident, Mitchell can be seen walking into the lobby of the training center during daylight hours with a rifle in his left hand. A tactical light attached to the rifle is on. There are two deputies sitting in the lobby and other employees sitting behind a reception desk.

The video does not have any audio, but it appears one of the deputies points out to Mitchell that his tactical light is on. Mitchell glances at the rifle but then appears to point the weapon toward the reception desk, waving it from side to side momentarily.

He then shakes hands with someone behind the desk and moves on.

A sheriff's spokesman said the gun Mitchell pointed was an AR-15 and that it was unloaded at the time.

An online profile of Mitchell says he has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience. He was hired as the Adams County Sheriff's Patrol Division Chief in January.