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About the Professional Standards Unit (PSU)

The PSU is responsible for hiring, retaining, and training personnel, and upholding the integrity of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office. The PSU manages over 16,000 training hours for over 270 employees annually.

Areas of Responsibility

Complaint Reviews

The Professional Standards Unit receives and reviews all complaints made by internal and external persons. The process of the review rests largely upon the details of the complaint and its severity. 

To submit a complaint:

  • Email socomplaint@mesacounty.us
  • To leave a confidential voice message, call 970-244-3539. Messages are typically returned within three business days.
  • Call Non-emergency dispatch and ask for the Mesa County Sheriff's Office Supervisor on duty: 970-242-6707
  • In-person at the Records counter of the Mesa County Sheriff's Office

 

Compliments

The men and women of the MCSO are dedicated to making Mesa County a better, safer place to live, often without recognition for their hard work. Mesa County Sheriff’s Office employees and members of the public are able to submit compliments, which are then shared with the appropriate parties. 

To submit a compliment or Thank You:

 

Internal Affairs Investigations

The Professional Standards Unit is tasked with conducting all internal affairs investigations.

 

Professional Law Enforcement Education

The MCSO is dedicated to the continual education and development of our employees. Professional Law Enforcement Education is formal continuing education for Mesa County Sheriff’s Office employees with the educational material having an emphasis on the law enforcement profession as a whole.

 

In-Service Training for All Employees

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office also provides a continuing skills-based education program.

For Detentions and Operations Deputies, there are 12 required trainings throughout the year, some of which span multiple days, to refresh, update, or improve their knowledge and abilities. These trainings also satisfy yearly mandated Colorado Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) training hours for sworn employees. Some of these trainings include:

  • Active shooter response
  • Anti-biased policing
  • Laws and statutes, taught by local lawyers
  • Chemical exposure response

 

For all other personnel, trainings are provided throughout the year in areas such as:

  • Leadership
  • Colorado Open Records Act (CORA)
  • Communication best practices
Photograph of Group in physical training session practicing taking people down and subduing them

 

On-going professional standards review and policy development

It is of paramount importance to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office that our employees are held to high standards personally and professionally. We review and update our policies and procedures regularly to align with current laws and regulations and events, as well as up-to-date professional best practices. 

As these changes or updates are made, they are communicated with the MCSO employees. Employees of the MCSO are required to acknowledge their understanding of the updated policies and procedures as soon as the updates are made.

Interested in a career with us?

Visit our Careers page to learn more about joining the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.

Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center (CLETC)

How did the facility come to be? 

The Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center (CLETC) was the vision of now-retired Mesa County Sheriff Riecke Claussen.

After Sheriff Claussen was term-limited out of office, Sheriff Stan Hilkey kept that vision in his sights, hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the site in 2013.

During Sheriff Hilkey's tenure, a partnership was formed to create and maintain CLETC between:

  • Colorado Mesa University
  • The City of Grand Junction
  • Mesa County Government

 

Facility Information

The CLETC is an 80-acre training site featuring: 

  • 7/8 mile driving track with a 120 foot x 270 foot concrete skid pad
  • 20 foot observation tower
  • Two classroom buildings
  • 23 lane shooting range
  • Six vacant houses for simulations, breaches, etc.
  • Fire training area

CLETC was built to serve all law enforcement agencies in the region.

 

Visit the CLETC website

For questions about the use of the track or to make a reservation.

CLETC Website

The Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center features a driving track, observation tower, a classroom building, shooting range, fire training area, and vacant houses for training.