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Press Releases
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September 7, 2010 Sheriff's Staff Presents Leader with Surprise Recognition GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. - At a recent gathering in the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office in Glenwood Springs, staff members representing a large cross-section of the patrol, detentions and administrative divisions packed into the large training room for an unsolicited event. The individual for whom the occasion was planned was still unaware and down the hall handling the various issues that cross his desk on a daily basis. When asked to attend an impromptu meeting that needed his attention, Sheriff Lou Vallario entered the room to his surprise and to the applause of fellow workers. The event was not about issues or politics; it was to convey due appreciation to the Sheriff for his leadership in protecting those who inhabit a 3,000 square mile area. Members presented Sheriff Vallario with “The 2010 High Caliber Award” for his “outstanding leadership and possessing the highest caliber of standards.” The presentation included a wooden plaque labeled with the award’s title and an affixed .50 caliber bullet – a round of ammunition carefully engineered to deliver a precise impact at the center of its intended destination. Accompanying the plaque was a framed certificate stating: "The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office Staff presents this award to Sheriff Lou Vallario for his Sheriff Vallario’s impact to accomplishing the mission is always of the highest caliber. He leads from the front, supports from behind and walks shoulder to shoulder with those sworn to protect and serve the citizens of Garfield County, Colorado. The distinctive Leadership and Accomplishments of Sheriff Vallario reflect great credit upon himself and the entire Garfield County Sheriff’s Office." The idea to openly recognize the Sheriff for his positive impact and easy accessibility by his personnel arose from reports, quips and exterior views that he is “arrogant and unapproachable,” and that this feeling was the average consensus among the employees. The award’s true purpose was to personally show Sheriff Lou Vallario that nothing could be further from the truth. |
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August 9, 2010 Community Education on Gangs and Their Local Impacts GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. - The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and its Threat Assessment Group (TAG) specialists will be holding community education sessions on local gang issues over the next two weeks. The first will be this Thursday, August 12th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office Annex, 106 County Road 333-A in Rifle (just south of the Garfield County Regional Airport off Airport Road/County Road 352). The second will be next Thursday, August 19th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Glenwood Springs Community Center, 100 Wulfsohn Road (next to the Glenwood Meadows Shopping Center). The presentations will cover what TAG is and does; why kids join gangs; identification of symbols, signs, graffiti and tattoos; and recent gang activity and associated impacts in the local area. There will be a follow-on question and answer session for concerned citizens, parents, guardians and teachers. These educational sessions are open to the public and are free-of-charge. Similar events have been highly beneficial in helping citizens better understand current gang trends and how to best address the threats in their neighborhoods, schools and communities. For more information, please contact TAG Deputy James Miller at 970-945-0453 or jmiller@garcosheriff.com. |
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August 6, 2010 Rash of Thefts from Well Pads in Garfield County GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. - Over the past three months, we have seen an increase in well pad thefts in western Garfield County concerning solar panels, batteries and related equipment. During this period, six reported thefts have occurred mainly in the areas west of Rifle and Parachute and along County Road 215. The four most recent incidents took place the final week of July. The affected energy development companies include Williams Production and EnCana, and the estimated value of the stolen property is approximately $13,650. Five of the cases are inactive pending further leads. Anyone having any knowledge regarding these incidents or witnessing suspicious activity in or around energy development and related storage areas is encouraged to contact Garfield County Crime Stoppers at www.garcocrimestoppers.com or 970-945-0101. Phil Strouse Community Relations Garfield County Sheriff's Office - Annex 106 County Road 333-A Rifle, CO 81650 Office: (970) 665-0207 Cell: (970) 309-9697 E-mail: pstrouse@garcosheriff.com |
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August 5, 2010 US District Court Rules in Favor of Garfield County Law Enforcement GARFIELD COUNTY, Colo. - On July 30, 2010, United States District Judge Marcia S. Krieger granted summary judgment in favor of all defendants named in a civil suit (No. 08-cv-02626-MSK-CBS) brought by plaintiffs Marco and Shelley Carani. Among the defendants listed were Sheriff Lou Vallario and former Jail Commander Scott Dawson. The lawsuit stemmed from a November 2007 incident involving the Rifle Police Department’s arrest of Ms. Carani and her subsequent weekend incarceration in the Garfield County Jail. On Friday evening, November 2, 2007, Ms. Carani was booked into the jail for alleged domestic violence charges. She remained incarcerated until her court appearance the following Monday afternoon, where the charges against her were dropped. The portion of the lawsuit naming Lou Vallario and Scott Dawson relates to Ms. Carani’s complaint that the conditions of her confinement were unconstitutional as based upon the 8th Amendment’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment clause and the 14th Amendment’s Due Process clause. Ms. Carani’s grievances included: 1) the cell was overcrowded, 2) not enough privacy while using the toilet, 3) no opportunity to shower, 4) sleeping on a floor mattress aggravated her back, 5) the food was horrible, 6) she did not promptly receive her book or remaining medication, 7) she began nicotine withdrawal due to not being able to smoke while in the jail and 8) she had to remain barefoot in her cell. The summary judgment stated that the Court found “none of the conditions cited by Ms. Carani, individually or in concert, constitute conditions that could be said to amount to unconstitutional punishment.” It further stated that her experience in the jail “fails to rise to a constitutional deprivation, particularly in light of the very brief period she was detained.” The finding concluded by stating, “The circumstances of Ms. Carani’s confinement were no more restrictive than conditions commonly found in jails and prisons across the country.” In similar fashion to the recent May 11th decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and previous court rulings, this episode is just one more example of an unwarranted lawsuit filed against the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. And once again, Sheriff Vallario chose to defend his actions rather than take the easy way out in cowering to plaintiffs in costly settlements. This ruling by a U.S. District Judge adds one more victory to the Sheriff’s perfect record when it comes to the dismissal of frivolous lawsuits. Phil Strouse Community Relations Garfield County Sheriff's Office - Annex 106 County Road 333-A Rifle, CO 81650 Office: (970) 665-0207 Cell: (970) 309-9697 E-mail: pstrouse@garcosheriff.com |
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