Sheriff's office gets OK to separate records from city's

Sheriff's office gets OK to separate records from city's

Sept. 19, 2000

BY MATT GLECKMAN
Journal Staff Writer

The Montezuma County commissioners on Monday agreed to allow the sheriff’s office to break away from its record-keeping contract with the city of Cortez, citing improvements in efficiency and reductions in cost.

"We are pleased with the service provided by the city but it is necessary to maintain a division such as (record-keeping) within your own office," said Undersheriff Sam Hager.

Presently the sheriff’s office and the city split the administrative cost of record-keeping evenly.

However, since 1997 the cost to the sheriff’s office has risen 36 percent, going from $127,000 to $172,000 in 1999.

In August, Sheriff Joey Chavez told the commissioners that after initial start-up costs, the sheriff’s department would pay $100,000 per year for its record-keeping — including the annual salaries of four full-time employees.

This would free up enough money for three new full-time employees, he said.

"We’re ready to control our own records, separate from the city’s, and I am confident we can do so professionally and at a better savings to the taxpayer," Chavez said.

According to the sheriff’s office, access to the records stored at the Cortez Police Department is somewhat limited because they are kept in a separate building.

Commissioner Kelly Wilson stressed that it will be important to retain the coordination of records between the city and county.

"We have made great strides between (the county commission) and the city council and between the sheriff’s office and the city police. We don’t want to lose that," said Commissioner Kent Lindsay.

Hager said the next step will be to put together a precise budget, buy equipment and hire and train individuals to run the records department.

The commissioners added that finding the right employees would be important — as those people will be entrusted with confidential information.

Hager said no hiring decisions will be made until the budget is decided. He added that space for a records department has already been designed into the new county jail and sheriff’s office.