Morrison prepares for Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies to patrol Colorado town full-time
The mayor of the town of Morrison in the western part of the Denver metro area says the decision to shut down their police force was primarily a financial decision. The decision was announced by the town earlier this month and will mean layoffs for the nine current police officers on the force.
Starting in January, deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will patrol the town full time.
Town of Morrison Mayor Chris Wolfe and Jefferson County Sheriff Reggie Marinelli held a news conference on Monday to talk more about the transfer from local to policing to patrolling by the county. Although there have been patrols during overnight hours for an extended period of time by deputies in the town, the shift to full-time patrols will happen on Jan. 1.
"It was fiscally a better decision to move forward with the sheriff department," Wolfe said of the town board's decision.
Wolfe said the officers who are getting layed off will get severance packages and says they will be asked to sign non-disclosure agreements.
"Just for liability reasons," Wolfe said.
The sheriff said the Morrison police officers who are losing their jobs are encouraged to apply to be deputies with the sheriff's office.
"We're hoping some of the officers from Morrison will apply because they know the area already," she said. "We are welcoming to that."
Marinelli said she doesn't feel like this new work for her department will stretch it too thin. She said there are sheriff's substations nearby in case crimes are reported in the town at a time when a deputy's patrol isn't taking place.
"Our deputies can get there rather quickly," she said.
In November Morrison's police chief was placed on administrative leave. Wolfe said there are reasons why that took place but he can't reveal the full scope of what those are.
"We've had some concerns. And I can't say any more about that but just wanted to let you know ... there was something there," Wolfe said.