Today, during a Board of County Commissioners meeting, El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal presented a Critical Needs Funding request to the Commissioners, requesting additional funding to increase salaries for sworn members of his Office.

Sheriff Roybal’s presentation included a chart identifying pay disparities among Colorado’s Front Range counties and local police departments. According to a survey by the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 9, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office deputies have the lowest paid salaries.

“I am fully committed to my staff and ensuring they receive competitive compensation for their hard work,” reiterated Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “My deputies risk their lives daily to protect families, seniors, students, and businesses in the Pikes Peak region. They make tremendous sacrifices to serve our community; equitable pay should not be one of them. I call upon the county commissioners to help me and commit to closing the gap on pay disparity and ensure those who don the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office badge make a wage competitive to the nature of their work.”

Since taking Office in January 2023, Sheriff Roybal has eliminated 11 high-level, unnecessary staff positions and reallocated funding to essential services, adding ten full-time deputy positions. He has led a balanced, fiscally conservative budget while ensuring high-quality customer service is delivered to the community we serve.

Additionally, Sheriff Roybal committed resources to hiring and recruiting and returned to requiring POST certification for all deputy recruits. On the day he took Office, there were 40 vacant sworn deputy positions (501/541). As of September 2023, our office was fully staffed, dipping below authorization occasionally due to attrition. Today, we are over-hired with 543/542 sworn deputies. 

Sheriff Roybal will not receive a pay increase, as his salary is determined and set by state statute.