Colorado sheriff who battled with fire chief asked to resign

Sheriff Terry Maketa.
Sheriff Terry Maketa. El Paso County Sheriffs office photo.

The Colorado Springs Gazette is reporting that the El Paso County commissioners voted unanimously, 5-0, Thursday requesting that Sheriff Terry Maketa resign immediately amid recent allegations of misconduct. Sheriff Maketa’s name may be familiar to Wildfire Today readers, since he initiated a very public campaign of criticism against Bob Harvey, the Fire Chief responsible for the first two hours of the initial attack of the Black Forest Fire in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The media campaign the Sheriff launched was unprecedented, in our experience.

Colorado is one of a few states that give the local county sheriff the responsibility for fire suppression on non-federal land, regardless of the individual’s knowledge or experience in fire suppression.

The reports we have read about the effort to push the Sheriff out of his job do not mention his vendetta against Chief Harvey, but refer to allegations of sexual impropriety, discrimination, creating a hostile workplace, violating civil rights, and more.

When one of the commissioners asked the Sheriff to resign on Tuesday, Maketa issued a statement saying he intends to serve the seven months remaining in his term.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

One thought on “Colorado sheriff who battled with fire chief asked to resign”

  1. Not sure if it was simple KARMA… or response to his outright narcissism… but I doubt that any firefighter or law enforcement officer would say “they didn’t see it coming”.

    Ground pounders (firefighters and cops) speak a common public service language that POLITICIANS and political appointees often don’t understand.

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