Sheriff Kirk Taylor’s name is being bandied about at the US Senate Judiciary Committee at the moment. The reason is that he is nominated to serve as one of 94 U.S. Marshals in the United States.
If approved by the Judiciary Committee, Taylor’s name would be submitted to the full U.S. Senate for an up-down vote. If he receives the affirmation of the Senate, his name would be returned to the White House where the President would announce his appointment as the Unites States Marshal for the Federal District of Colorado.
The process has taken over two years. It officially began on June 6, when President Joe Biden nominated Taylor as a prospective U.S. Marshal candidate. Vetting for the position then began last November. And, according to Taylor, he has never been so scrutinized in his lifetime.
“I began the process almost on a whim,” stated Taylor. “As it seemed to become a possibility, my wife, Cassy, and I set down and talked about it in earnest. We decided it would be disingenuous for me to run for a fifth term as Pueblo County Sheriff. If I got re-elected for a fifth term and was then offered the U.S. Marshal position, it would stop the continuity of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s office. And that was not the best decision for the community I represent. We decided I would pursue the Marshal position and, if I don’t get appointed, I will retire.”
For nearly 16 years the Chief Law Enforcement official of Pueblo County Colorado has resided in Rye. How do you take 16 years of service and encapsulate it into a few highlights? Taylor gave it his best effort.
“In my first term we started a program called the ‘Character First Program’,” Taylor responded. “I wanted to be known as a competent leader with integrity and moral character, and I wanted those same qualities in the people around me. We began implementing my mission and values into every aspect of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s culture. We looked to hire and promote people with this kind of character.”
He paused a moment, “You can teach skills, but character comes from your family background, your environment, your faith and your core values. That, you can’t teach.”
The second accomplishment Taylor shared was the opening of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which was finished in 2013. When Taylor took office the EOC was located in the basement of the court house.
Through leveraging funding for the possibility of a disaster at the Pueblo Chemical Depot, Taylor was able to get the new facility at 10th and Main built, using nothing but federal funding.
The ‘crown jewel’ of southern Colorado, as Taylor describes the facility, is so cutting edge that it is now designated as the backup emergency operations center for the entire state of Colorado.
Perhaps here is a good place to remind ourselves of the size and scope of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO). As of Sunday night, there were 396 fulltime employees in the department. If you add the part-time people, the number grows to the mid-400’s. In addition, there are 140 volunteers that make up firefighters, the Sheriff’s posse and the dive team, among others.
The PCSO is a professional organization, and the Sheriff leads 100’s of these professionals. Besides patrol, they run the jail, serve papers for the city and county, provide security for the county and district courts and the justices of the courthouse. As of 2009, the Pueblo County Sheriff is also the Emergency Manager for the City and the County, and Fire Warden for Pueblo County.
“It’s a big job and, when you get right down to it, it isn’t about politics, it’s about law enforcement,” opined Taylor.
Of the things accomplished in the last 16 years, perhaps the paramount achievement in Taylor’s eyes, is the successful replacement of the jail which is in process as his final term winds down.
“I think my biggest success will be replacing the aging Jail,” stated Taylor. “The public told us ‘no’ on several occasions and that made us figure it out in a way that didn’t raise the local taxes. We secured a funding stream and began the design and architecture. We issued bonds at the end of June and, if I have a legacy, I think that will be it.”
“You have to understand that the current, old jail holds 509 prisoners, and we have been over that everyday I have been sheriff,” Taylor continued. “You also need to remember that 320 of those prisoners are in a dormitory type unit. You can’t isolate any of those 320 inmates. The new jail will have 688 cells. It will make it so much safer, and easier to utilize.”
Taylor anticipates ground will be broken in October and construction will take two to two and a half years. He is hoping for a January, 2025 opening of the new jail.
“You never do anything like this (serve for four terms as Sheriff) alone,” mentioned Taylor. “I have been blessed with a wonderful wife of 37 years, community leaders, family and friends that have supported me.”
Taylor got thoughtful. “I thought I was ready to be Sheriff. I thought I had the education, the experience, the spirituality to be Sheriff. One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the emotional toll of the office. I lost two deputies in the line of duty. People I worked side-by-side with had grandchildren die, went through divorces or had economic hardships. These people are like family, and in their sorrow and grief I felt that I had to hold it together for the department and the community.”
If Taylor becomes Marshal his office will move to the Federal Building in Denver. In that event he and his wife plan to get an apartment there and come home on weekends. “We will never leave Rye,” he states. “Rye is the best town we’ve ever lived in, and Colorado is the greatest state we’ve ever lived in.”
“I guess I have faith that there is something larger than me,” Taylor said. “There is so much divisiveness, but I have the inner faith that gets you up every day and helps you continue to go. Your community elects you and makes a covenant with you, a public trust if you will. . I hope I haven’t disappointed them.”