Catherine Rusoff
A Wyoming sheriff is recruiting new deputies in neighboring Denver, and the controversial tactic has angered the Mile High City.
A paid billboard by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office was revealed in Denver, Colorado, on May 12 during the annual Police Week. The week honors fallen police officers, but Sheriff Brian Kozak had an additional message for “frustrated officers” written in bold on the billboard: “I work in Wyoming where breaking the law is still illegal and cops are funded!”
Kozak was referring to budget cuts proposed by councilors in April that would reduce Denver’s public safety budget by $8.4 million — about 1.9 percent of the police force’s funding. The billboard takes the opportunity to recruit police officers for his city, about an hour’s drive away.
He said in a social media post that the cuts restricted officers’ ability to enforce traffic laws, such as expired license plates and safety equipment violations. Kozak thanked his community for supporting law enforcement and said he “welcomes those who want to do their jobs” to join the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office.
He said CBS affiliate KKTV that since the billboard was launched, he has received around 20 to 40 job applications per day.
Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
Denver announced in January that the city would cut the budgets of several agencies to provide shelter and services to more than 4,700 migrants, CBS Colorado reported at the time. Expenses to support migrants could reach $15 million a month, or $180 million annually, the city said earlier this year.
“To the national media that has been reporting that we are defunding the police, we are not. If we were, I wouldn’t vote for it,” said Councilman Kevin Flynn. told the Denver Gazette in April. Instead, the savings would come from delaying furniture purchases and relocating a mounted police unit, Flynn said.
Other savings would come from not filling open positions — including the planned 167 police recruits in 2024. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston Allocation of US$8.2 million for new recruits would be among the positions to disappear, Common Sense Institute Found.
“Denver Police Salary and benefits information is detailed herebut the main advantage of working for the Denver Police compared to the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office is that the highest salary for the officer position “is higher in the Mile High City, Denver police said in a statement for KKTV.
The mayor’s office refuted claims that the city plans to curb police recruitment, saying in a statement: “Mayor Johnston has invested millions to add 167 new police recruits to our force in 2024 and will continue to invest in public safety to ensure each Denver resident be safe in your city.”
