The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“One agency can’t do it all by themselves”
By Kendra Walker
During their December 3 meeting, the Mt. Crested Butte town council approved a law enforcement agreement to continue the town’s work with the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Department.
Under this renewal agreement, the Mt. Crested Butte Police Department acts as county sheriff’s deputies in unincorporated areas of Gunnison County in the north end of the valley. This relationship between the two entities working together under multiple law enforcement agreements has been in effect since 1975.
“Our current agreement was entered into on December 10, 2019 and is set to expire at the end of this year,” explained town manager Carlos Velado. “Staff has worked with the Sheriff’s Department on a new agreement that would go into effect at the start of the new year.”
“Continuing the collaboration with you guys up there is something that’s going to pay off tenfold for everybody,” said Gunnison County sheriff Adam Murdie. “We do appreciate this.”
Murdie also noted that he is working on adding positions to the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office, and in the future may request funding help from the regional law enforcement entities to add more equipment, including a rescue vehicle and armored vehicle.
“What we’re really shooting for is a valley-wide law enforcement agency,” he said. “We want to keep that collaboration going between all the agencies, because one agency can’t do it all by themselves.”
The council unanimously approved the law enforcement agreement with the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m grateful this arrangement exists and makes both law enforcement entities stronger,” said councilmember Roman Kolodziej.
Mayor Nicholas Kempin agreed. “It’s one of the reasons we have such a great police force in Mt. Crested Butte. And a great police force contributes to our quality of living here.”
