Wyoming sheriff recruiting Denver officers with controversial billboard
DENVER (KDVR) — A new billboard along Alameda Avenue and Pecos Street is causing a stir in Denver.
The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming paid for the billboard to recruit deputies while throwing shade at Denver leaders.
In an exclusive interview, FOX31’s Talya Cunningham asked the sheriff about his decision to make the billboard.
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Sheriff Brian Kozak stands by his decision to cross state lines and pay $2,500 to put up this message on a billboard in Denver, “Work in Wyoming where breaking the law is still illegal and cops are funded.”
It’s National Police Week, and this billboard went up on Sunday, sending a clear message.
Kozak said they’ve been successfully recruiting in Denver for some time now, and this is all part of a marketing campaign.
The sheriff’s office posted the billboard on social media with a caption that reads in part, “National media reported the City of Denver, on the other hand, decided to defund the police $8 million to fund immigrant shelters and restrict the ability for cops to enforce traffic laws…”
It’s getting mixed reactions online with some complaining about the sheriff using taxpayer money for the billboard. Others support the claims, and some say it’s instigating conflict.
Kozak said he’s heard from many frustrated Denver officers and deputies and he’s not shy to say he’s taking full advantage of it.
“One of the things is you get to do your job here. So, you get to enforce the laws here,” said Kozak. “We try to look where officers are not happy with the political environment, and we try to promote our culture here in Wyoming where it’s more of a conservative area. Like I said, the community supports law enforcement.”
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The city, however, is punching back.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s office responded, saying in part, “The Denver Police Department’s budget was carefully crafted with safety leaders and Mayor Johnston to ensure there would be no impact to the department’s public services. To say that Denver is ‘defunding the police’ is a willful mischaracterization of the budget reductions.”
Kozak does admit that most officers will have to take a pay cut to come to Laramie County but, he offsets that with the fact that there’s no state income tax in Wyoming and the cost of living is a lot less than Denver.
It appears the marketing tactic may be working. The sheriff said they’ve already received 40 new applications.
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