At Friday's law enforcement dinner, Bayfield Marshal Joe McIntyre thanked his staff members, noting each of them in a commendation.
Chris Choate, the former Bayfield marshal, now works for the Southwest Drug Task Force and helped bring down a trafficking ring with an estimated $1.3 million of drugs in its possession. His leadership in drug investigations has been exemplary, McIntyre said.Deputy Derick Campbell, while investigating a burglary at Pine River Pawn, convinced a suspect to voluntarily turn over evidence stolen from the business, leading to a conviction in the case. Getting someone to do this voluntarily is almost unheard of, McIntyre said.Sgt. Dan Cyr pursued a suspect on Oct. 30 after the attempted robbery of the Grocery Store, chasing him north on County Road 501 until he reached almost 90 mph and hit a police car. Cyr later tracked him to a home in Vallecito with the help of a citizen phone call, arresting the suspect without any injuries.Deputy Holly Cashwell has a tough exterior, but always shows "kindness and compassion" to residents who need a hand. That included buying a meal for a woman kicked out of her home and offering a local resident a ride home during a driving rain storm. Cashwell exemplifies "the human side of police work" and has received the department's first life-saving award, he said.
Deputy Chris Tonge is a school resource officer and responded to a "disturbing prank call" by addressing the youth and their parents at school. He was "stern yet compassionate" while talking with the youth about the poor decisions, the marshal said. Both the school principal and the parents later thanked Tonge for his handling of the situation.Sgt. Dan Abdella has served as a police officer for 17 years and has a long list of duties at the marshal's office, including tracking evidence, overseeing training and submitting reports to the District Attorney's Office. He also is obtaining his college degree, McIntyre said.Finally, Deputy Joe Hochanadel investigated a case where two men stole guns from a home and walked down an alley, hiding the guns along the way. After capturing the men, he was patting them down and found another gun, taking them into custody without incident."It was the best result possible," in what could have been a horrible incident," McIntyre said.
The marshal's deputies each receive 100 to 120 hours of training every year, exceeding the state standards for law enforcement training, said Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman.
