El Paso County Sheriff's Office

Paula Presley is a 28 year veteran of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and currently serves as the Undersheriff. She started her career as a dispatcher in Communications. She later became a deputy sheriff assigned to Patrol she was a field training officer and was promoted to sergeant in the Patrol Division where she also served as a crisis negotiator. As a sergeant she worked Patrol, Training and was responsible for the implementation of the Sheriff’s Office first P.O.S.T. certified law enforcement academy and the implementation of the D.A.R.E. Program.  After promotion to lieutenant, she served as the public information officer, comptroller, patrol and detention shift commander. After promotion to commander, she was assigned to the Criminal Justice Center responsible for the Security and Operations Divisions. Promoted to bureau chief in 2007, she was responsible for all Detention and Detox operations which is comprised of approximately 387 sworn and civilian personnel. She was responsible for the development and implementation of the El Paso County Community Detox Facility in 2009 and the Reintegration and Recovery program that since 2007 has significantly reduced the recidivism rate in El Paso County. She has authored the grants that have primarily funded the Reintegration and Recovery program for the last five years. Both programs have received national awards for outstanding criminal justice programs through the National Association of Counties and the National Criminal Justice Association. Undersheriff Presley has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and Criminology and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and has completed the majority of her doctorate coursework in Personnel Management. She has been an instructor at Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado State University and in the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Academy as well as a presenter for the National Association of Counties and the National Criminal Justice Association.