Dolores Moves Toward Reduced Sheriff Contract, One Deputy for 2026

Dolores town trustees on November 25 moved toward finalizing a law enforcement services agreement that would provide one Montezuma County sheriff deputy dedicated to the town for 40 hours per week in 2026. Under the draft contract the town would pay $143,000 billed quarterly, rather than the two deputy arrangement that cost $274,000 in 2025. If the Dolores Town Board approves the contract at its December 8 meeting the proposal will then advance to the sheriff and county commissioners for final approval.

The draft lays out specific responsibilities for the sheriff office, including a committed 40 hours per week of services in Dolores, traffic crash investigations as required by statute, and monthly written reports detailing calls, patrol hours, investigations and enforcement activity. The sheriff would also enforce town ordinances, perform background checks for liquor and marijuana licensing, handle evidence collection and storage, and provide monthly updates to the town board.

Financial and operational provisions assign several municipal duties to the town. In addition to the $143,000 payment the town would cover municipal level jail bookings and prosecute municipal cases. The town would provide office space for the deputy, valued in the draft at $1,000 per month. The contract is billed quarterly under the proposed terms.

Trustees expressed frustration with county level funding and what they described as thin sheriff staffing. The draft was edited to clarify liability and to remove a prior overtime provision that would have required the town to pay an overtime rate. Those adjustments reflect a broader push for clearer terms in local law enforcement contracts.

The proposal follows a March 2025 organizational and budget analysis by KRW Associates which reviewed past contract negotiations and recommended clearer itemized accounting and earlier negotiations in future years. For Dolores residents the decision balances cost savings against concerns about on the ground coverage, response times and continuity of municipal enforcement and licensing work. The town will have to weigh immediate budget relief against longer term public safety needs before finalizing the arrangement with county officials.