How Sheriff Services Are Organized Across Colorado

Colorado has 64 counties, and in nearly all of them the sheriff is an elected official who answers to voters, not to a state agency. The office comes from the state constitution, and its duties are laid out mainly in Title 30, Article 10 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Our database lists 100 sheriff offices, substations and jail divisions, from Front Range suburbs to farm towns near the Kansas line.

Sheriffs serve four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms. No state official commands them. The Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board, part of the Department of Law, sets certification rules for deputies, and the County Sheriffs of Colorado association coordinates training and legislative work. Each sheriff still decides how to staff, patrol and run the jail in their own county.

Two places break the usual pattern. Denver is a consolidated city and county, and its sheriff is appointed rather than elected. The Denver Sheriff Department runs the city's jails and courtroom security, while the Denver Police Department handles patrol. Broomfield also became its own city and county in 2001. Our database currently files the Broomfield County Sheriff's Office, at 7 Descombes Drive, under Boulder County, so confirm jurisdiction by phone before you drive over.

What a Colorado Sheriff Actually Handles

The job is broader than most people expect. A typical county sheriff's office is responsible for:

Counties also have a separate coroner, so the sheriff does not determine causes of death. Highway patrol on state routes and interstates belongs mostly to the Colorado State Patrol, while the sheriff covers county roads. If you are unsure who responded to an incident, ask the dispatcher which agency took the report.

Metro Sheriffs Versus Rural Sheriffs in Colorado

Where you live changes what the local sheriff does for you. In the Denver metro area, many cities run their own police departments, so the sheriff concentrates on jails, courts, civil process and unincorporated neighborhoods. The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office at 13101 East Broncos Parkway in Centennial is a good example. It provides police service to the City of Centennial under contract, and it also staffs a substation at 1690 West Littleton Boulevard in Littleton. Adams County's office sits in Brighton at 332 North 19th Avenue, and Douglas County deputies patrol large unincorporated communities such as Highlands Ranch.

Boulder and Pueblo show a different mix. The Boulder County Sheriff's Office (1777 6th Street, 303-441-3600) anchors Boulder County, which has seven listings, more than any other county. Wildfire is a constant concern there. During the 2021 Marshall Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes, the sheriff's office helped lead evacuations. Farther south, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office runs substations at 320 South Joe Martinez Boulevard (West) and 4497 Bent Brothers Boulevard in Avondale (South). Residents of Pueblo County outside the city do not have to travel downtown for every request.

Rural eastern Colorado is the opposite. The Cheyenne County sheriff works from 91 East 1st Street North in Cheyenne Wells. Kit Carson County's office is at 251 16th Street in Burlington, and Washington County's is at 26861 U.S. 34 in Akron. In counties like these, the sheriff may be the only agency with round-the-clock coverage across hundreds of square miles. Staffs are small, the office, jail and dispatch may share one building, and deputies handle everything from livestock on the highway to medical calls.

Mountain counties have their own pattern. The Summit County Sheriff's Office and jail division at 501 North Park Avenue in Breckenridge serve a county whose population swells with skiers and summer visitors. Pitkin County's office is at 506 East Main Street in Aspen. In Gunnison County, the sheriff's office and detention center share 200 North Iowa Street. San Juan County's office in Silverton serves a county where Silverton is the only incorporated town. In these areas, backcountry rescue, avalanche season and highway closures take up much of a deputy's year.

Everyday Tasks You Can Take to a Colorado Sheriff

Concealed handgun permits. Colorado requires a permit to carry a concealed handgun, and the sheriff of your county of residence issues it. Applicants must be at least 21, show proof of handgun training, submit fingerprints and pay the fees. Permits last five years. Processing includes a background check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, so apply well before you need the permit, and ask the office about appointment rules.

Civil process and evictions. A deputy cannot evict anyone on a landlord's notice alone. The landlord must win a court judgment first, and the court then issues a writ of restitution that the sheriff carries out, usually on a scheduled date. Court-issued protection orders are also served by law enforcement. Foreclosures are a separate matter, handled by the county public trustee rather than the sheriff.

Records and reports. Incident and arrest reports fall under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, not the general open records law. Send a written request with the date, location and case number if you have one. Offices may charge copying fees and may withhold or redact material tied to open investigations, victims or juveniles.

Jail inquiries. County jails are run by sheriffs, including the Prowers County Jail in Lamar, the Alamosa County Jail and the Conejos County Jail in Antonito. Call the jail first for visiting rules, how to leave money on an account, and bonding. State prisons are separate and are run by the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Plan Your Visit to a Colorado Sheriff's Office

Three practical points save the most time. First, check the address type. The Delta County Sheriff's Office lists PO Box 172 and the San Juan County office lists PO Box 178. Those are mailing addresses, so ask for the street entrance before visiting. Second, call before going. Many offices handle fingerprinting, permits and civil papers by appointment or during limited counter hours, and rural lobbies may close when staff are out on calls. Third, bring government photo ID, any case or booking number, and a payment method the office accepts.

For emergencies, call 911. For everything else, use the non-emergency line, such as 303-441-3600 for the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, 970-641-1113 for Gunnison County, or 719-583-4730 for the Pueblo County West Substation. If you hike or ski, consider a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue (CORSAR) card. Card sales feed a state fund that reimburses counties for search and rescue costs, and sheriffs coordinate the volunteer teams that do the work.

Sheriff offices in Colorado are independently elected county agencies responsible for law enforcement, jail operations, and civil process service. Each county in Colorado elects its own sheriff, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer for that county's unincorporated areas.

Sheriff locations are available in 82 cities across Colorado. They are spread across 63 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of sheriff office listings include Pueblo, Telluride, Littleton, reflecting the population centers where multiple sub-offices or specialty divisions may be located.

Colorado residents should note that sheriff offices handle civil law enforcement functions — such as serving eviction notices and foreclosure papers — in addition to criminal law enforcement, so the sheriff office is often the correct point of contact for civil legal matters at the county level.

Sheriff by Counties

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If you are a Colorado resident looking to obtain a concealed carry permit, request a background check clearance letter, or serve legal documents through official channels, your county sheriff office is the starting point — contact them directly to confirm required documentation and current processing times.

Browse Sheriff by county across Colorado to find the nearest location.

Reading Colorado's Sheriff Listings by Region

Geography explains how these listings are spread out. The Front Range holds most of the population, yet offices in other regions cover far more land. In the San Luis Valley, the Alamosa County Sheriff's Office at 1315 17th Street, the Conejos County office at 14044 County Road G.5 in Antonito and the Saguache County office at 530 5th Street serve a high, dry valley with long drives between towns. In the southwest, La Plata County's office is at 742 Turner Drive in Durango, and the Chaffee County office is at 132 Crestone Avenue in Salida.

Some counties show several listings. Pueblo County has west and south substations, Arapahoe County has a Littleton substation, and Boulder County has multiple entries. If your county has more than one, call the nearest and ask which location handles your task. Permits, civil papers and jail functions are often centralized in a single building, and a substation may not offer them.

In the mountains, Gilpin County's office and jail are at 2960 Dory Hill Road in Black Hawk (303-582-1060), while Jackson County's deputies work from 396 LaFever Street in Walden.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sheriffs in Colorado

Each county's elected sheriff is in charge, and no state agency supervises daily operations. Voters choose sheriffs to four-year terms, and a sheriff may serve two consecutive terms. The Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board certifies deputies, and the County Sheriffs of Colorado association supports training and legislation, but neither directs local decisions. To find your office, start with the county where you live or where an incident happened, then look for its main address and non-emergency number. Denver is the exception: its sheriff is appointed and runs the jails and courtrooms, while city police handle patrol.

Apply to the sheriff of the county where you live. You must be at least 21 and complete a handgun safety or competency course from a qualified instructor, then bring your certificate to the application. The office takes your fingerprints and sends them for state and federal background checks through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. State law sets a deadline for the sheriff to approve or deny once the results arrive, and an approved permit is valid for five years. Fees, appointment rules and counter hours vary, so phone first. Bring a government photo ID and proof of residency, and ask which payment methods the office accepts.

A deputy cannot remove a tenant on a landlord's notice alone. The landlord must first win a court judgment for possession. The court then issues a writ of restitution, and the sheriff's civil unit carries it out, normally on a scheduled date. If you have received court papers, respond by the deadline printed on them and contact the court clerk with procedural questions. Low-income residents can ask Colorado Legal Services about help. Foreclosures work differently: in Colorado, the county public trustee, not the sheriff, runs foreclosure sales. Sheriffs do conduct sales to satisfy certain court judgments, and those are announced through published legal notices.

Start with the sheriff's office that runs the jail in the county where the arrest happened. Call the facility, such as the Gunnison County Detention Center at 970-641-1113 or the Prowers County Jail in Lamar at 719-336-8050, and give the person's full name and date of birth. Many Colorado counties also post inmate rosters online. Ask about the booking number, bond amount, visiting schedule and how to deposit money for commissary. If the person has been sentenced to prison rather than jail, the Colorado Department of Corrections keeps an offender search. Smaller counties may house inmates in a neighboring county, so ask where the person is held.

It depends on whether you live inside a city limit. In places with their own police departments, such as Boulder, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Durango, city officers take most calls, while the sheriff runs the jail and civil process. In unincorporated areas, the sheriff is the primary agency. Some municipalities contract with the sheriff instead of running a department; Centennial uses the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. The Colorado State Patrol covers most state highways and interstates. In an emergency, call 911 and let the dispatcher route the call. For non-emergencies, check your county assessor's parcel map to confirm whether your address sits inside a municipality.

Incident and arrest reports are criminal justice records under the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act. Contact the records unit of the sheriff's office that took the report, and give the date, location, names involved and case number if you have it. Many offices accept written requests by mail or email, and some ask for ID. Expect copying fees. Agencies may deny or redact sections tied to open investigations, victims or juveniles. Crash reports on state highways usually come from the Colorado State Patrol, not the sheriff. If an office declines your request, ask for the reason in writing, because a Colorado court can review denials.