Costilla County Law Enforcement Crisis | Denver News

Costilla County, Colorado, is in crisis as its law enforcement force dwindles to just three officers—over one thousand square miles of responsibility and public safety hanging by a thread. The fallout from indictments five months ago, which removed the former sheriff and deputies for mishandling evidence and using Tasers on mental health crises, has left the county scrambling. With state funding dried up and other agencies pulling back, the interim sheriff now faces impossible choices: prioritize calls or risk lives. He needs nine deputies, but cuts have forced further reductions. Meanwhile, unpaid overtime looms as a legal battle brews—and the county insists top officials aren’t eligible for it. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/045c860902c7737a