Hilkey Announces Intent To Vacate Office Early

Sheriff Stan Hilkey,  first elected in 2002

Sheriff Leaving Post In June, Recommends Undersheriff To Complete His Elected Term

Mesa County, Colo. -- Today, Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey, announces his intention to vacate his elected office in early June, to fill a post in Colorado State Government as the Executive Director of Colorado’s Department of Public Safety (CDPS).  Governor John Hickenlooper is making this same announcement of Sheriff Hilkey's appointment in tangent with this local release.

**Watch a video of Sheriff Hilkey's announcement to staff, colleagues and the media from 10:15 a.m., today.**

The Executive Director of CDPS is a Governor’s Cabinet level position with over 1,600 employees and a budget of $350 million. CDPS is the parent agency of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Colorado State Patrol, Fire Prevention and Control, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Division of Criminal Justice, School Safety Resource Center, CDPS Human Resources and the Executive Director’s Office.  A full description of the Department and strategic plan can be found at: http://cdpsweb.state.co.us.    

Undersheriff Rebecca Spiess, appointed in 2006

 Colorado law authorizes the Undersheriff, the second in command, to act as Sheriff until the Board of County Commissioners appoints a new Sheriff to fulfill the term as prescribed in the Colorado Constitution, Article XIV, (Counties, Officers, Section 9). Sheriff Hilkey's recommendation to the Mesa County Commissioners for his replacement is Undersheriff Rebecca Spiess to be appointed Sheriff to fulfill the remainder of Sheriff Hilkey's term. By term limits, a newly elected Sheriff will occur in November this year with a swearing-in occurring in January, 2015.

"Undersheriff Spiess, acting primarily as Chief of Staff (for me), has a complete grasp on the current state of affairs in this office, is already plugged into current and on-going priorities, and has full knowledge of the duties and responsibilities that would make leadership transition as seamless as possible," Sheriff Hilkey said. “She is, simply, exceedingly ready and able to complete this term and serve our citizens with the same, or better, excellence seen in the Sheriff’s Office under my leadership. Her leadership provides for the best stability during the time of an election and I have all the confidence that she will continue to prepare the office for the transition of leadership provided by the election. In addition, she has the full support of the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office along with the adjacent public safety agencies in Mesa County."

Sheriff Hilkey, facing term limits this year, credits this opportunity to the fine reputation of the men and women, staff and volunteers of the Sheriff’s Office, and their high level of customer service with a wonderful state wide reputation. In addition, Sheriff Hilkey is grateful to Governor Hickenlooper for the opportunity to continue to serve citizens and public safety agencies in Colorado in a meaningful and important way.  

Page 1 of Governor's News Release

“I am looking forward to supporting all the resources in the CDPS in tackling state wide challenges and fulfilling their important mission, with continued excellence, to the people of Colorado. This opportunity is not given to many people and I look forward to the challenging work ahead,” Sheriff Hilkey said. His first day in the new position will be June 16. 

Sheriff Hilkey has been serving the Mesa County community for 28 years as a Sheriff’s Office employee. “I simply cannot measure how lucky I have been to do so, nor can I adequately express my gratitude for the privilege of being elected three times in Mesa County. I will miss this community as I serve a larger one, but am confident the leadership of the Sheriff's Office going forward will continue to be progressive and responsive to the citizens," he said.

Page 2 of Governor's News Release

Background on Sheriff Hilkey: He has been serving the citizens of Mesa County through this agency since 1986, when he was first hired as a deputy. He first ran for elected office in 2002, winning overwhelmingly in that November election. He went on to win the Sheriff's seat in Mesa County two additional times. The position of Sheriff, in Mesa County, is term limited to three consecutive, four year terms. Sheriff Hilkey is in his final year as elected Sheriff and can not run for this office again. 

Sheriff Hilkey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy--2004, and a graduate of the Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command--2001. In addition, he has been nationally active in evidence based decision making with regard to Criminal Justice, a past Chairman of County Sheriff's of Colorado, past Chairman of the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Board, active with both the local and state meth task forces, and much more during his professional career.