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On The Edge

Who Watches the Watchdog?

Who Watches the Watchdog?

This story is part of an occasional KUNC investigative series this year exploring the power of Colorado sheriffs. Robyn Vincent is a reporter with KUNC’s Northern Colorado Center for Investigative Reporting.

Former Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock just days before he retired on January 6, 2023. Spurlock deviated from fellow conservatives when he lobbied for Colorado's red flag gun law. Other sheriffs have not only decried the law but have also said they will not implement it — a move that highlights these elected leaders' broad authority.
Robyn Vincent
/
KUNC
Sheriffs are some of Colorado’s most powerful local elected leaders. They are tasked with enforcing a multitude of laws, running jails and carrying out evictions. But how closely they follow the law sometimes hinges on other factors — like their own politics or those of the community they serve.