Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Public safety workforce

Michelle Chandler stopped a predator — and uncovered victims who may never know
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Michelle Chandler stopped a predator — and uncovered victims who may never know

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice On May 11, 2024, at Nordstrom Rack in Lakewood, Colorado, Michelle Chandler caught a man filming her inside a women’s fitting room. She didn’t freeze or panic. Instead, she confronted him, pinned him to the ground and held him until help arrived – or so she thought.  What happened next wasn’t the swift arrival of justice. It was abandonment: by store employees, by security and later, by a system more concerned with procedure than protection. Chandler’s story quickly gained attention when she posted about it on Instagram. Social media influencers – including David Harris Jr. posted about the video. Local radio and National news outlets reached out to cover the story. And strangers from Canada to Europe responded, showing their support.&nb...
With calls up and staffing down, Jeffco sheriff’s office tries new tactics to recruit deputies
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

With calls up and staffing down, Jeffco sheriff’s office tries new tactics to recruit deputies

By Alliyah Sims | Fox31 JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) —The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office hopes an extra $5,000 will help with recruitment efforts. It’s a part of a new initiative to address staffing shortages. “All law enforcement agencies, police departments, sheriff’s offices — it doesn’t matter. There’s a challenge right now with staffing. It’s been going on really since 2020. A lot of people left the industry and getting more people to apply has been hard for all of us,” Mark Techmeyer, director of Public Affairs with JCSO. He says the sheriff’s office has just around 800 deputies when the agency is fully staffed. “Right now, we’re about 94% staffing for the department overall. We have about 35 openings in our sworn positions. That’s deputies that work in our detent...