Gazette’s Online Voter Guide:

The following is a full response to the questions posted on the Gazette’s online voter guide.

Q: As El Paso County Sheriff in difficult budget times, how would you deal with a 10% budget cut? As times improve, how would you spend a 10% budget increase?

10% Cut:

A 10% budget reduction would equate to $4.5 million. I am the only candidate that has faced the issue of reducing a budget without supervisory oversight. State Law serves as the job description for the Office of Sheriff. Federal Law, State Law, and Court decisions serve as legal boundaries for the performance levels and expectations. As I have done in past years, I will continue to look at those services that are mandated by Law and insure they are funded as the highest priority. As with any budget, there are dedicated funds that cannot be shifted. As a result, those programs would be set aside allowing me to focus on only those areas where discretion exists. My decisions will always be guided by the basic principles of what the Law requires and then what is in the best interest of the Community, Office and the Employees. As I have done in the past, I will look for opportunities to identify alternative funding sources, in addition to looking for more efficient ways of meeting my statutory responsibilities. Efforts such as combining fleet, dispatch, training and other functions with other government entities would be considered as they have in the past; however, only pursued if there was a cost saving and a benefit to the citizens without creating a liability in the future. At this point, past studies have failed to identify any savings among those mentioned.

The Sheriff Office budget is $44,935,524. The inmate food/medical contracts for the jail is $5.8 million or 12.8%, operations budget is $2.9 million and personnel costs are approximately $36.2 million or 81% of the total budget. This reduction would be the equivalent of approximately 52 positions. I would evaluate each and every position first, eliminating those that would not directly impact services to the community or my statutory requirements. This review would most likely re-evaluate the current operational structure and consolidate positions and reduce staffing levels accordingly among sworn and civilian. Starting point would include: reduce training academy personnel to the bare minimum, reduce jail staffing which may result in lower-risk offenders being released or evaluate closing jail wards and reducing total capacity, therefore reducing staff positions. I would also have to consider reducing or eliminating specialized units like Traffic, and the Crime Reduction Unit. Obviously, operational funding within the various Divisions would be reduced as appropriate with the effected positions. Finally, to reach the $4.5M shortfall, salary reductions across the board at approximately 5.5% to create about $2-$2.5M (estimate) would have to be implemented.

10% Increase:

My base philosophy is to ensure the resources we currently have are appropriately funded, the next priority is to ensure positions that were reduced are reinstated should the need still exist and the appropriate funds exist to support those positions and finally increase staffing in only those areas that have been studied and demonstrate a public safety need. With that in mind, the operational line items that are currently underfunded would be allocated approximately $450,000. I would restore the 20 positions that were eliminated due to budget reductions for 2009 (6 Patrol, 6 Detentions, 1 ATF, 1 DARE, 1 FBI Task Force, and 5 SROs in the amount of $931,671.00) and increase Patrol staffing levels by 18 Deputies, one Records Technician and one Emergency Dispatcher for a total of $2.3 million. Then, I would re-evaluate all positions within the Sheriff’s Office to ensure the grade and step of salary meet the current market value and make those adjustments. I would reinstate budget reduction of $299,023.00 for funding the to 2 Court and Transport deputies, Flood Warning personnel, as well as, personnel under the 800 MHz system support and allocate the funds to the capital budget funding reductions taken between 2004-2006 in the amount of $404,525.00. I would review all equipment utilized by the Patrol Division and ensure they are all up-to-date and adequate to carry out the mission of the Sheriff’s Office.

Q: What are your thoughts about the growing marijuana industry?

Regardless of my personal beliefs, medical marijuana is here to stay. State law empowers citizens to decide the issue of dispensaries and I agree and believe that is an appropriate decision for local government and citizens to regulate. I will continue to lead the fight for regulations that limit dispensing to those who truly have a lawful medical need for it and ensure their compliance with all the laws and regulations that support the lawful possession of it. Without clear and common sense legislation that will authorize appropriate enforcement, the opportunities for abuse are tremendous. Just as I have done the last 7½ years as your Sheriff, I have and will continue to work with state and federal agencies, as well as legislators to ensure that laws are passed that balances the needs of individuals with health conditions that warrant the use of marijuana and the obligation of law enforcement to enforce the laws that regulate it. I support and have already facilitated efforts with the DEA to collaborate with the state in creating synonymous legislation at the federal and state level that recognizes medical marijuana and provides clear guidelines and authority for appropriate possession, dispensing and enforcement. Illegal use of marijuana and other illicit drugs will still continue to be a focus of mine as they do directly impact crime and other quality of life issues in communities.

Q: Would you support or oppose consolidating law enforcement services in El Paso County, to include its municipalities, and why?

It is my belief when you entertain the consolidation of Law Enforcement Services you have to evaluate the benefit and those mandated requirements. For example, the Sheriff’s Office is responsible for over 1,900 square miles and serves approximately 180,000 residents, in addition to the many other state mandated functions, such as operating a jail, extraditions, court security and transport both locally and state wide, civil service, wildland fire and search and rescue. Those are diverse services and requirements and the Sheriff’s Office is very capable of handing all matters that may arise whether it’s a high profile trial, tactical operation or complicated investigations or a declared disaster, as is the City of Colorado Springs and the City of Fountain. Each of those three jurisdictions provides services in a distinctly defined area and each is most likely understaffed. Therefore, there would be no benefit to consolidate. However, when you look at agencies such as Manitou Springs, Green Mountain Falls, Calhan, Palmer Lake and Monument, they serve very small populations - most less than 10,000 residents and do not have the systems in place to properly conduct basic requirements like staff training, employee background checks or enough case load to develop the officers’ skills and they often have to rely on larger agencies for felony investigations or tactical operations. When you evaluate the management redundancy in their organizational structures you realize supervisors oversee a very small number of employees at any given time.

Most of the smaller agencies also have higher costs per citizen, such as Monument Police which operates at a cost of %176.00 per citizen compared to the Sheriff’s Office cost of %71.00 per citizen for all mandated services. It creates the argument their tax payer funding is not being utilized to the fullest extent or what may be in the best interest of public safety and the community. Simply look at arrest data from last year: Monument Police arrested and booked into the County Jail 56 arrestees, Manitou Springs Police 157 arrests and Green Mountain Falls Police 11, in contrast the Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Bureau arrested and booked into jail over 2,000 arrestees, Colorado Springs Police 8,300, and Fountain Police 518. Those figures represent a large disparity and suggest some under utilization of staffing in smaller jurisdictions.

By consolidating the smaller agencies with larger agencies, the smaller municipalities benefit at a lower cost per citizen immediately based on purchasing power as it relates to economies of scale and elimination of the higher paid supervisory and management positions that may be under utilized. I believe there are some benefits, but I also believe it should be the will of the local citizens to make that decision after evaluating the full scope of benefits and costs.


Terry Maketa's Stance on Current Issues

  1. Patrols: Should patrols be increased? Is it necessary given that the crime is going down?

    Patrols should increase based upon the increased population. Calls for service will increase regardless of whether certain crimes increase. Even with several significant budget reductions, I refuse to decrease the services we provide to the community and insist we continue to respond to all calls for service both criminal and non-criminal in nature. In addition to providing the same or expanded levels of service, we have efficiently reduced the response times for priority calls by two (2) minutes in both the urban and rural areas in the face of staff reductions.

    There are occasions when we are the only option for assistance and citizens have come to expect a consistent level of service despite budget issues. Other local law enforcement agencies have reduced the level of service in the face of budget cuts but I believe in the long term this practice will only erode the quality of life that we all enjoy and the criminal element will take advantage of the circumstances. I have chosen to explore other alternatives such as implementing the Citizens on Patrol; a volunteer program that permits trained citizens to respond to non-criminal and minor cold criminal calls for service as approximately 65% of calls are non-criminal in nature. I have continued to expand the Sheriff’s Office Reserves which allows volunteer certified deputies to supplement many of the patrol functions. I intend to explore the use of ICE revenue generated from the long-term housing contract to increase the number of deputies currently assigned to Patrol as well as any grant opportunities to assist with start-up costs. I have fought for and will continue to be committed to increasing patrol through paid and volunteer sworn and civilian staff to maintain and improve the quality of life that the citizens of El Paso County deserve.

    The claim of only 6 to 8 deputies patrolling the county is completely inaccurate and fails to take into consideration additional deputies also available to respond to calls for service, such as the Mounted Unit, which primarily patrol eastern El Paso County as the resident deputy, the K-9 Unit, the Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), the Traffic Unit and Reserve deputies that are all responding to citizens needs. During the highest call for service period of time, the summer months, we also assign the DARE Deputy, and five (5) School Resource Officers (SROs) on patrol to assist with calls for service. Although I will be the first to say we need more deputies, our ability to respond is far greater than the 6 to 8 my opponent proclaims. I will continue to make increasing the number of Deputies on patrol one of my top priorities over the next four (4) years, just as I have done for the last 10 years.


  2. Taxes: Is it appropriate for a public official to ask citizens for additional taxes? Is it appropriate for a public official to vow to never ask for a tax increase regardless of consequences?

    As Sheriff, I represent the citizens of El Paso County and it is my responsibility to inform them of public safety needs and quality of life issues. Based on over 10 years of experience working directly with the county budget, I have proposed options to most efficiently provide necessary services and believe citizens should decide how these services are financed. As a community leader, it is my obligation to inform the taxpayers of the issues and challenges which affect the level of services provided so they can make informed decisions concerning future direction and expectations of their Sheriff’s Office. I have always been and will continue to be committed to leading the Sheriff’s Office and working with the citizens in a transparent manner both operationally and financially. Only the Board of County Commissioners can place a tax initiative on the ballot. I do not have that authority and therefore I will not vow to never ask for a tax increase, as it is not within my statutory authority. Furthermore, it is difficult to predict the future economic state of the county and therefore, irresponsible for me to commit to such an absolute decision that may contradict appropriate reasoning for future decisions that could be detrimental to the residents of El Paso county. It is my opinion that if citizens express a desire to have services increased and come forward with a proposal that meets their concerns and the concerns overall within our criminal justice system I believe I, as a community leader, have an obligation to provide the information and speak to issues directly affecting our quality of life and this community. I believe it is short sighted and irresponsible to declare “I will never ask for a tax increase” and such a statement would be made only to advance a political agenda. Personally, I would be very weary of anyone that makes any statement that takes away the rights of our voters under TABOR.


  3. Immigration law: Would you support Colorado passing a similar law to Arizona’s 1070? Why or why not?

    I would support Colorado passing a similar law to Arizona’s immigration legislation which is in compliance with the federal law. Illegal immigration, in conjunction with criminality, is detrimental to this county and victimizes our citizens. I am currently collaborating with legislators advocating for similar legislation. It is imperative that federal, state and local law enforcement work collectively to address the problem specifically concerning criminal aliens. Three (3) years ago, my Office was responsible for proposing legislation that held criminal aliens accountable for the crimes they commit against the citizens of this county even if they were deported. Prior to this legislation, once a criminal alien was deported, more often than not, the criminal case was dismissed only for the offender to return to this county and commit more violent crimes. This legislation prevented the dismissal of a criminal case and mandated an arrest warrant be issued in the event the alien returned to this country. These individuals should not be granted immunity because they are illegal in this country. This is an extremely costly problem and as a leader, I have and will continue to advocate strong partnerships with state and federal law enforcement to address it.

    The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is the only law enforcement agency in Colorado that has the 287G Program; a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), with 20 deputies working in the jail that are sworn in as federal officers to conduct investigations and process criminal aliens for deportation. This has greatly reduced the length of time these offenders are held pending deportation. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office maintains an Intergovernmental Service Agreement or a long-term housing contract with I.C.E. to house those detainees who are awaiting deportation. This contract results in significant revenue to the county and is used to fund a variety of operations throughout the Sheriff’s Office, as well as reduce the cost of health benefits for all county employees.


  4. Gun rights: Is any gun restriction on gun ownership appropriate?

    Restriction on gun ownership should only be limited to those individuals that have demonstrated a clear and documented danger to themselves or those prohibited from ownership as a result of criminal conviction. I am an advocate of the Second Amendment and have fought for eight (8) years for citizens’ freedom to bear arms. I fully support and facilitate their right to protect themselves, their family and property. As Sheriff for the last eight (8) years, I have been a strong advocate for the right to carry concealed weapons and the Concealed Handgun Permit Program which the Sheriff’s Office operates. This has been a very successful program and provides an option for citizens to protect themselves and their families in a manner that they are comfortable with while still maintaining compliance with current law. I have been an active supporter locally of the NRA and the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition. I have lobbied at the State Capital and have been a voice for citizens’ rights. This is not something I just decided to do when I ran for public office, it is something I have supported in for a number of years and will continue to support in the future.


  5. Medical marijuana: What regulations over medical marijuana, if any, do you support? What should local law enforcement agencies be doing given the conflict between state and federal law?

    I support and have already facilitated efforts with the DEA to collaborate with the state in creating synonymous legislation at the federal and state level that regulates medical marijuana and provides clear guidelines and authority for appropriate possession, dispensing and enforcement. Regardless of my personal beliefs, medical marijuana is here to stay. I will continue to lead the fight for regulations that limit dispensing to those who truly have a medical need for it and ensure their compliance with all the laws and regulations that support the possession of it. Without strict and common sense legislation that will authorize appropriate enforcement, the opportunities for abuse are great. As Sheriff, I have and will continue to work with state and federal agencies as well as legislators to ensure that legislation is passed that balances the needs of individuals with health conditions warranting the use of marijuana and the obligation of law enforcement to enforce the laws that regulate it. Furthermore, as I have stated and demonstrated over the past eight (8) eight years, I will set expectation of my staff that we will aggressively pursue those who sell and traffic illegal drugs and legal drugs in an illegal manner. This has been a platform of mine for two (2) terms and will continue to remain a platform of mine. Not only will my Office continue to participate in the Metro Vice, Narcotics & Intelligence Unit (Metro VNI), we will continue to work with and remain a partner agency with the Southern Colorado Drug Enforcement Task Force. We have long enjoyed the benefits and successes of a partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and will continue to collaborate with them and other local, state and federal agencies for the benefit of our citizens.


  6. Jail operations: What is the best way to run a jail, deputies, or civilians or both?

    The Sheriff’s Office operates the largest jail in Colorado, excluding the city of Denver, and is balanced with both sworn and civilian personnel extensively trained and skilled in their duties. Under my leadership, this facility maintains the highest standards and accreditation through the American Correctional Association and is also in compliance with the strictest Immigration and Customs Enforcement standards. Deputies in the jail not only supervise up to 92 inmates per deputy, many of which are violent and unpredictable, they also investigate criminal activity which is on-going and does not cease once the offenders are behind bars. In 2009, these deputies made over 4,300 arrests; a function that without their arrest authority would have to be delegated to patrol personnel for response and investigation. During my tenure as Sheriff, I have civilianized 24 positions in the jail that do not require a deputy to perform the job functions. There are 100 civilian positions assigned to the jail which comprises 32% of the staff in the Detention Bureau and they provide support to the 215 sworn deputies. I have looked at every opportunity to civilianize positions where it is safe and appropriate and still ensure that the functions are accomplished efficiently without compromising the safety of the staff or inmates.

    It is gambling with staff’s safety to simply reduce staff in the jail when the El Paso County jail has one of the highest inmate to deputy ratios among large Colorado counties. All of the large county jails in Colorado are staffed by sworn employees. This is the industry standard and the reason is due to the dangers and the powers and training needed to maintain order and control in a very dangerous environment. The Sheriff is required, by law, to provide a safe a secure jail. Meeting that State and Federal mandate requires we hire and retain the most qualified workforce and insure they have the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to deal with any situation that may confront them.

    We also rely on those sworn deputies in the jail to respond during disasters both natural and man-made. As part of our disaster planning process, we have developed a schedule that can be implemented for short periods of time to free up jail personnel to respond to such emergencies. If they were not sworn that option would not be available. They also supplement patrol requests that are above and beyond our normal patrol responsibilities, such as patrolling mountain roads during the summer months through an agreement with the Forest Service, fulfilling security needs at major sporting events at high schools and the community. Additionally, some are members of our Haz-Mat Response Team and our Special Response Team (SRT), which has played a vital role in crowd control at large events, such as Air Force Academy Graduations and other organized protests within our community. If they were not sworn and we did not have this option available the community would directly suffer. The sworn status extends well beyond just the jail. They provide a very efficient force multiplier that can be deployed within hours and has proven to be a valuable resource that is often utilized.