The El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO), founded in 1861, handles law enforcement in El Paso County, Colorado. The Office is headed by the County Sheriff, an elected official.
Contents
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO), founded in 1861, handles law enforcement in El Paso County, Colorado. The Office is headed by the County Sheriff, an elected official.
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| No. | Last | First | Party | Start date | Finish date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Roybal | Joseph J. | Republican | January 10, 2023 (oath taken) [1] | ||
| 28 | Elder | Bill | Republican | January 1, 2015 [2] | January 10, 2023 | |
| 27 | Maketa | Terry | Republican | 2002 | December 31, 2014 | resigned by retirement amid a scandal; [3] [4] [5] served 3 terms as Sheriff after a change from 2 to 3 as the maximum [6] |
| 26 | Anderson | John Wesley | Republican | January 10, 1995 [7] | 2003 | nephew of 24th Sheriff, Red Davis |
| 25 | Barry | Bernard "Bernie" J. [8] | Republican | 1983 | 1995 | took over after Davis' death then subsequently elected; resigned amid a racial slur scandal [9] |
| 24 | Davis | ? [10] [11] L. "Red" | Republican | 1979 | 1983 | died while in office [12] previously Sheriff of Colorado Springs, CO.; [13] first name as "Herald" or "Richard" in official documents |
| 23 | Shipley | Marion M. | Republican | 1975 | 1978 | |
| 22 | Sullivan | Earl L. | Republican | <=1956 | 1975 | |
| 21 | Short | Norman E. | Democrat | January 1949 [14] | >=1953 [15] | |
| 20 | Slocum | Ray H. | Republican | 1947 [16] | January 1949 | |
| 19 | Deal | Samuel J. | Democrat | 1935 [17] | >=1945 [18] | won reelection in 1936 [19] |
| 18 | Jackson | Robert M. | Republican [20] | 1927 [21] | 1934 [22] | won reelection in 1930 [23] |
| 17 | Berkley | Samuel "Sam" R. | Democrat [24] | 1923 [25] | 1926 | won reelection in 1924 [26] |
| 16 | Weir | John Hamilton [27] | Republican [24] | 1917 [28] | 1922 | [29] |
| 15 | Birdsall | George G. | Republican [30] | 1909 | 1917 | |
| 14 | Grimes | Oliver [31] P. | Republican [32] | April 30, 1904 [33] [34] | 1908 | appointed in 1904 after Gilbert resigned, [35] [36] [37] |
| 13 | Gilbert | William R. [38] | Republican [39] | January 14, 1902 (noon) [40] [41] | April 30, 1904 [33] | sheriff in 1901 (?) [38] See Colorado Labor Wars. |
| 12 | Goddard | Donald C. | "Fusionist" [42] | 1900 | January 14, 1902 (noon) [40] | Goddard was nominated under a so-called Fusionist ticket that merged Democrats and Populists. [43] [44] [45] [46] |
| 11 | Boynton | Winfield Scott [47] | Republican [48] | 1896 | January 1900 (?) | ; [49] retired [50] |
| 10 | Bowers | M. F. | Republican [51] | <=1892 [52] | 1896[ citation needed ] | [53] See Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894. |
| 9 | Jackson | Leonard | Republican [54] | >=November 1887 [55] | 1891 [55] | was Sheriff in 1888 [56] |
| 8 | Dana | L. C. | Republican [57] | c. March 1882 | >=November 1887 | appointed sheriff after Smith resigned; [58] [59] was Sheriff in 1886 [60] |
| 7 | Smith | Walt H. | Republican [61] | January 13, 1880 [62] | c. March 1882 | ; [63] [64] [65] left post to be U.S. Marshal, succeeded by his deputy [58] |
| 6 | Becker | Peter | Democrat [66] [67] | September 1875 [notes 1] [68] | January 13, 1880 [69] | [70] [71] |
| 5 | Donnelly | Robert | Democrat [72] | c. January 1874 | September 1875 [73] [74] | elected in September 1873 [72] |
| 4 | Eubank | Cornelius | Democrat [75] | 1871? | c. January 1874 | appointed; [76] [77] [78] lost reelection in September 1873; [72] still Sheriff by November 29, 1873 [79] |
| ? | Templeton | A. J. | Republican [80] | 1868? | 1871 ? | ; [81] possibly dubious entry (eg, perhaps just deputy) |
| ? | Spielman | David | Republican (?) [82] | 186? | 186? | ; [83] possibly dubious entry (there's seems to be no contemporary mention of him) |
| ? | Shapter | ? | 186? | 186? | ; [84] possibly dubious entry (eg, perhaps just deputy) | |
| 1 | Kelley | Rankin [85] Scott | 1861 | 1867 [86] | ; [87] named sometimes spelled "Kelly" |
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On January 10, 2023, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office will be holding an Oath of Office Ceremony, as Undersheriff Joseph J. Roybal will be sworn in as the 29th Sheriff of El Paso County.
When I began my first term as your Sheriff on January 1, 2015
He resigned Dec. 31, 2014, two weeks before what should have been the end of his third term, amid allegations that he had carried on affairs with multiple subordinates and tried to smear the man ultimately elected to succeed him, Bill Elder.
The charges for all three come one-and-a-half years after Maketa left his post as Sheriff on Dec. 31, 2014. He was term-limited and normally would have left office in the middle of January, except that he filed retirement paperwork naming New Year's Eve as his last day.
Amid the scandal, Maketa resigned at the end of 2014 before his third and final term was up.
In 2006, he was elected Sheriff for a second term. During that time period, the term limit for Sheriff had been increased from two terms to three. In 2010, Sheriff Maketa was elected for a third and final term.
On January 10, 1995, I was sworn in as the 26th Sheriff for El Paso County, Colorado.
Meanwhile, the incumbent sheriff, on the job for a dozen years, had abruptly announced his retirement after coming under fire for making racial slurs to his employees.
Sheriff, Harold L. 'Red' Davis (R)
Sheriff: Richard L. 'Red' Davis (R)
Uncle Red won and became the 24th Sheriff for El Paso County. Red Davis served as Sheriff from 1979–1983 and passed away during his second term. Bernie Barry, who had run against my uncle, finished Red's second term and would become the 25th El Paso County Sheriff. He served from 1983–1995. I would be elected the 26th Sheriff...
Robert M. Jackson (R)
Sheriff John H. Weir of El Paso county, widely known as a sheriff and as a politician, and one of the big Republicans of his county, failed in re-election. He was defeated by Samuel R. Berkley, and it is the first time in twenty-two years the county has had a Democratic sheriff.
John Hamilton Weir, of Colorado Springs, who is filling the office of county sheriff,...
From 1913 until 1916 he was chairman of the progressive party and in the latter year he was elected to the office of sheriff of El Paso county, ...
The Republican county convention will be held tomorrow. It will be composed of 176 delegates. Many candidates are seeking nominations. It is conceded that O. P. Grimes, for sheriff, will have a clear field, as George Birdsall of Colrado City and Jack Webber of Colorado Springs have withdrawn from the race. It was reported today that either Henry McAllister, Jr., or W. S. Boynton would be selected for temporary chairman,...
523 Grimes Oliver P, sheriff.
The following county officers were unanimously renominated: Sheriff, O. P. Grimes;
Sheriff W. R. Gilbert has tendered his resignation to become effective to-morrow and the county commissioners have appointed Undersheriff O. P. Grimes to fill his unexpired term.
Sheriff Gilbert, of El Paso county, having resigned his office owing to his private business taking up so much of his time. O. P. Grimes has been appointed to fill the vacancy.
Recently Appointed to Vacancy Caused by Resignation of W. R. Gilbert
O.P. Grimes was a former sheriff of El Paso County, ...
Sheriff, W. R. Gilbert
W. H. Gilbert is without opposition so far as known for the nomination for sheriff.
Colorado Springs, Jan 14.—The new County officers assumed their duties at noon today. [...] W. R. Gilbert succeeds Don C. Goddard as sheriff.
It can be safely stated that the fusionists have elected Don Goddard as sheriff and...
For sheriff, Donald C. Goddard, ...
In El Paso the fusionists elected Don C. Goddard as sheriff...
WINFIELD SCOTT BOYNTON, surveyor of customs at Denver, and one of the foremost Republican politicians of the state,...
W. S. Boynton, the retiring county sheriff, will go on the floor of the Colorado Springs Mining Stock exchange to represent the brokerage firm of Hundley & Miller. The following are the new officials: Clerk. W. H. Reed: treasurer, C. A. Tollen; sheriff, Allen[ sic ] C. Goddard
Colorado Springs, November 4.— In El Paso county there was a sweeping republican vote. The majority for Judge Helm is 634, the vote being 1,349 for Helm and 715 for Goddard. Cochran for attorney has 1,298, Hanna 1,155—Cochran's majority 143; Woodbury for commissioner has 1,401, Finnegan 715 — Woodbury's majority 338; Howbert for clerk has 1,671, Matthews 848—Howbert's majority 823; Bowers for sheriff has 1,428, Meier 1,081— majority 347;...
...El Paso County sheriff M. F. Bowers appealed to Governor Davis Waite for help.
The Republican county convention met here to-day and carried out a cut and dried programme as usual. Hon. Homer Grafton was temporary chairman and the temporary organization was made permanent. In some cases there were two candidates for nomination but the slate ticket went through without serious opposition. The nominations are as follows: County clerk, Frank Hewbert; treasurer, H. C. McCrery; auditor, E. G. Perkins; surveyor, H. I. Reid; sheriff, Leonard Jackson; ...
He was sheriff from 1887 to 1891.
L. C. Dana, present incumbent, was renominated for sheriff.
Deputy Sheriff Dana becomes sheriff of El Paso in place of Walt Smith made U.S. Marshal.
...L. C. Dana Sheriff of El Paso county,...
DANA L. C., sheriff El Paso Co., res 220 S. Cascade.
Our dispatches convey the pleasant information that Sheriff Smith of this city has been nominated by President Arthur as United States marshal for Colorado. This is equivalent to a confirmation, as it was understood that no name would be sent in that was not satisfactory to both senators. The appointment will be particularly well received in this city, where Sheriff Smith has many friends. Mr. Smith has always been a strong republican.
In 1874 he was elected justice of the peace, and held this office until his election as sheriff in 1879.(Since elected in 1879, this means he directly succeeded Becker whose last day as sheriff is known.)
Sheriff Walt. Smith, of El Paso county, was in town on Sunday bringing two prisoners for the penitentiary.
Sheriff W. H. Smith, of El Paso county, was among the callers at the state house yesterday morning.
Walt Smith, Sheriff of El Paso Co. was here on Saturday.
In El Paso county, Becker, democrat, is elected sheriff; ...
Sheriff—Peter Becker, Democrat; [term expires 2d Tues. Jan. '80.]
Peter Becker, born in Germany in 1848, immigrated to America in 1853 with his parents, who settled in Iowa. Remaining there until 1870, he then came to Colorado, and when the town of Colorado Springs was started, began business there as a harness-maker. He was elected sheriff of El Paso county in 1875, and reelected in 1877.
The office is not a new one to Mr. Becker, he having served two terms in the county of El Paso with credit to himself and honor to the people who elected him. Strangers could never understand why Peter Becker, a staunch democrat, could be elected sheriff of El Paso by a majority of over 500 in a county that was usually good for 400 republican majority.
C. Eubank, Democratic.(This was his party while running for County Commissioner shortly after being sheriff. It seems reasonable to assume he did not switch parties.)
In 1869, he settled in El Paso County, and engaged in the cattle business. Here he was appointed Sheriff, by Judge Halleck,...
Sheriff, Eubanks[ sic ], Dem., has 99 majority over Templeton, Rep.
3d Precinct—J. C. Woodbury, A. J. Templeton. John Irvine.
He then rode down to the Fontaine and secured the services of Templeton, the noted trailer and thief hunter, and Sheriff of El Paso county. The two reached Pueblo at daylight on Monday morning,...
A monument to the memory of Charles Everhart, who was killed and scalped by Navajo Indians on September 3, 1868, was unveiled here on the exact spot where the tragedy occurred. Speeches were delivered by Governor Ammons, David Spielman of Ouray, who was sheriff here at the time of the outrage,...
Sheriff Shapter, with a posse of a half dozen men repaired to the scene and found their worst fears realized.
Sheriff R. Scott Kelley was appointed Sheriff-the first of 29 men to hold that title...