2013 THE BRIEFING ROOM The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Magazine

Castle Rock, Colorado

HEROES AND HELPERS Christmas shopping with cops

TALKING THE TALK Explore our new communications vehicle

E-TICKETS Deputies write high-tech tickets

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INSIDE

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2 Message from the Sheriff

3 Patrol goes high-tech

4 Census: It’s senior city

5 New year, new look

6 Heroes and Helpers

8 Honorary Deputy

10 Talking the Talk with Undersheriff Tony Spurlock

12 Knights of the bald table

14 CSV Leaders

16 Santa visits Lt. Duffy’s

COVER: HEROES AND HELPERS Chief Holly Nicholson-Kluth hugs a child after buying Christmas gifts at Target in a shop with a cop program MAGAZINE CONTACT: Deborah Sherman Community Resources DSherman@DCSheriff.net 303.660.7544 Sgt. Ron Hanavan Community Resources RHanavan@DCSheriff.net FIND US ONLINE: www.DCSheriff.net CALENDER OF EVENTS: www.DCSheriff.net FACEBOOK: www.Facebook.com/DouglasCountySheriff

It’s a New Year—and that means out with the old and in with the new at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Of-fice.

To begin with, you’ll notice our pa-trol deputies are using electronic ticketing devices, which are more accurate, more efficient than the old paper tickets and environmentally friendly.

The Sheriff’s Office has a new state-of-the-art radio, telephone and data communications vehicle, that was fully funded through the 911

board. It will allow regional dispatchers to quickly respond to an emergency and talk to surrounding localities. We’re also going high-tech tracking sex offenders, and finding extra per-sonnel and equipment on demand.

You’ll notice changes in the Justice Center. The upcoming expansion will include a new parking structure, a new medical facility in the detention area and interior renovations.

2012 was a tough year. We welcome 2013 and new and better ways to pro-tect and serve you.

MESSAGE FROM SHERIFF DAVID A. WEAVER

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T he driver speeding through Douglas County this week had no idea she was about to make history.

When a deputy pulled her over for going more than 20 miles over the speed limit, she got the first electronic ticket ever issued by the Doug-las County Sheriff’s Office. It’s also one of the first E-tickets issued in the state, as just a couple of other agencies use the devices made by Brazos Technology.

Traffic Investigator Jeffrey Burke swiped her driv-ers’ license into his card reader and all of her in-formation popped up in Burke’s car computer. Then, Burke checked a penalty box and hit ‘print.’

“This takes out human error with illegible hand-writing and calculating mathematical equations for fines and penalties,” Investigator Burke said. “As long as the deputy selects the appropriate charge, it’s 100-percent accurate.”

While it can take a patrol deputy about 10 minutes to write a citation, it only takes five minutes or less to issue an E-ticket. That means drivers can get on their way faster.

The officer will electronically send traffic tickets to the records department. Drivers will be able to pay them on-line by this summer. Until now, traffic tickets had to be paid for in person, over the phone or by mail.

This January, about five deputies in the traffic unit will use the devices. But within the next couple of months, the whole traffic unit will be armed with the E-ticketing ma-chines and printers. Some of the devices will be hand-held while others will be mounted in the vehicles.

The traffic unit will issue E-tickets for all driving and parking violations in the county, state and the city of Castle Pines.

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T HE POPULATION OF DOUGLAS COUNTY IS EXPLODING

There are more seniors, more kids and more renters than a decade ago, according to the Douglas County 2010 Census Profile.

The number of people living in Douglas County jumped from 175,766 in 2000 to 285,465 in 2010. That means the population

has increased 62-percent in the last decade, making Douglas County the fastest growing county in Colorado and the 16th fastest growing county in the nation.

While the median age is about 37-years-old, the census shows the population age 65 and older in-creased 177-percent since 2000. That means seven-percent of all residents here are seniors while 30-percent are under the age of 18.

The census also shows almost three times more people are rent-ing their housing today compared to ten years ago. Today, about 20-percent of folks rent and 80-percent own their homes.

Caucasians (85-percent) make up most of Douglas County. While the

next biggest racial group is His-panic or Latino (7.5%), fol-lowed by Asian (3.7%).

Finally, the number of people living alone has increased. For seniors, it’s been a huge jump or 230-percent, of them living alone in 2010 compared to 2000.

MOVING ON UP! THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN COLORADO

177-percent more seniors age 65 and up

57-percent more kids under age18

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5 D eputies are donning new hats at the Douglas County

Sheriff’s Office. Gone are the baseball caps with the Sheriff’s emblem -- and here -- are new, 8 point police hats.

It’s the most formal dress that our deputies can wear on a daily basis and still be used for special ceremonies and funerals.

Why 8 points on a hat? The eight points represent the eight original members of the First Watch in Dutch colonial New Amsterdam, now New York City. This style of hat was first worn by the NYPD in 1928.

For you history buffs, New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement on the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the capital city of New Netherland. It was renamed New York in 1667 in honor of the Duke of York (later James II of England) when English forces seized control of Manhattan along with the rest of the Dutch col-ony, according to Wikipedia.

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uring the holidays, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office teamein Douglas County. It was the inaugural ‘Heroes and Helpers’and the Douglas County School District to go on a $50 shopptionship with law enforcement. Douglas County Sheriff David

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ed up with Target to provide about $1,200 in gifts to some 30 deserving children ’ event. The deputies were paired with kids by Douglas County Human Services

ping spree for the holidays. It gave the kids a brighter Christmas and a good rela-d Weaver hopes to make the program an annual tradition.

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8 A SPECIAL SWEARING IN

“I can’t begin to thank y

you have brought into C

friends about his badge

everywhere. Please acce

for all you have done.”

Richard Pettit, Christop

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9 M ore than anything else in the world, Christopher Pettit wanted to be a cop. He even carried a framed deputy’s badge wherever he went that he got from the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Anything

more than that didn’t seem to be in the cards for Chris.

That changed when Chris and his dad Richard met a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy at the Safeway in Castle Rock. He invited them to visit the Sheriff’s Of-fice the next day. To their surprise, Lt. Keith Penry gave them a tour of the jail. Law Enforcement Bureau Chief Tim Moore organized a special ceremony. Sheriff David Weaver swore Chris in as an honorary training sergeant, then the Sheriff’s command staff signed on as witnesses. Chris received a badge, patches, sergeant’s stripes and a deputy’s hat. His dad wiped away a tear. His son had fulfilled his dream.

An honorary training sergeant

you enough for the joy

Chris’ life. He tells all his

e and wears his hat

ept my deepest gratitude

pher’s dad

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TALKING THE TALK with

Undersheriff Tony Spurlock

H ere’s a first look at our regional state-of-the-art communications vehicle.

This radio, phone and data wonder on wheels will allow incident dispatchers to talk to any surround-ing county or city during emergencies, such as Parker, Lone Tree and Castle Rock. The equipment is also interoperable with Denver and Aurora which use different radio systems. The Incident Dispatch Team (IDT) Chevrolet Sub-urban was paid for by the 911 board. The IDT and incident commanders can use the vehicle as a true regional unit, able to respond to virtually any incident as needed, on demand. We’re very thankful that the 911 board provided this field communications vehicle for the region. It will help us get critical information to incident commanders in a timely manner during emergen-cies. We fully expect it will help law enforcement protect and save lives.

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12 B e prepared to

call a few Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputies “Sir Baldness.”

They will be knighted in March by ‘King’ Niles Ack-erson for their unequaled courage, chivalry and com-mitment to the St. Bald-rick’s Foundation.

This will be the seventh year in a row that barbers have sheared off all of their hair, turning their golden locks into golden coins for the childhood cancer re-search charity.

Legend has it that the knights grew their hair as long as possible, down to their gun holsters, for an entire year.

After roaming the land and fighting criminals with their pony tails, beards and braids, the knights returned to their Douglas County kingdom to recount their tales of adventure and to brush their tresses.

The fable says every March 15th for the last seven years, the knights have gathered round the St. Baldrick’s Head Shaving Event at the Douglas County Events Center in Castle Rock to shed it all for sick children.

The children are bald war-riors too, battling bad guys named Tumor, Lym-phoma and Neuroblas-toma.

The kids have been fighting back with chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries—and your money. It takes every single dollar the charity can get to find new medicine to treat the children.

King Ackerson of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office hopes to raise $50,00 this March.

Will you be a knight in shining armor and help save the day for toddlers like Fiona who has the most deadly pediatric can-cer?

“This event will recognize a number of shavee’s who have shaved continuously for seven years straight. We will also recognize our can-cer warrior children who are currently battling this deadly disease,” Deputy aka “King” Ackerson said. “They are true heroes with strong hears and more courage than you can possi-bly imagine. Step up to the plate this year. Please do-nate, volunteer and attend the event as a spectator or a shave.”

Contact King Niles Ack-erson for more informa-tion:

303.947.2446 or

NAckerso@DCSheriff.net

St. Baldrick’s Head Shaving Event

March 15th, 2013 Douglas County Event’s

Center 500 Fairgrounds Drive

Castle Rock, CO

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Deputies to be ‘knighted’ for shaving their heads seven years in a row

Their baldness raises money for kids battling cancer

St. Baldrick’s Foundation needs your help

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LEADING THE WAY IN

ould you vomonth --192and little re

in the extreme heat and cold directinhoods, checking on elementary schoSafety Volunteers (CSV’s) do that evmore. Last month, the Sheriff promoted twognize their leadership and take it toBob Eggleston has been with the CSDavid Eason, four years. Both were“Gentlemen, thank you for your ccommunity and congratulations onDavid A. Weaver said.

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N COMMUNITY SERVICE

olunteer more than 16 hours a 2 hours a year – for no pay

ecognition? What about stand ng traffic, patrolling neighbor-ool kids? Our Community very single day—and a lot

wo CSV’s to Sergeant to rec-o a new level. SV program for five years. e also long-time officers. ontinued service to your n your promotions,” Sheriff

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SANTA VISITS LT. KEVIN DUFFY’S HOME

‘nuff said.