With schools beginning instruction in the county, a key concern that most parents, caregivers, teachers, and administrators have is that of the safety for each student while at school. The Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) along with other agencies took the opportunity to conduct an active shooter training two weeks ago with Eads and Plainview schools.
KCSO Undersheriff, Kayla Murdock states that, “The Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office would like to reiterate that if either school is ever put on lock down, not to show up. The Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office has written in policy and has trained to enter the school immediately. We do not want to encounter a parent while searching for a suspect. While we understand the concern that parents have for their children, it is important to note that if the Sheriff’s Office encounters someone on campus, you put yourself at risk and could slow the process down to stop the suspect. If you find yourself on campus, please comply with all orders. We will continue to work with the school throughout the year, and expect to be on campus and a presence for the children to become familiar with the deputies.”
According to Undersheriff Murdock, since Sheriff Frazee has been back at the helm the Sheriff’s Office has gone above and beyond to provide its deputies with the best training possible which take place each Wednesday. Undersheriff Murdock explains that this training spans from Use of Force, Firearms, Driving, De-escalation, Case law, and much more. Deputies are also allowed to select training thought the year and to travel to outside agencies to receive in depth specialized training. The State of Colorado requires deputies to go through 24 hours of specific training each year.
Along with the additional training that the deputies receive, the KCSO has also focused on recruiting officers to serve in the county. At this time the KCSO consists of Sheriff Frazee, Undersheriff Murdock, Corporal Marlow, Deputy Negley, K-9 Deputy Snover, and Deputy West. The KCSO Office Deputies include Jo Lieble and part-time office deputy Keely Mohnsen.
Murdock also states that, “We are excited to announce the addition of Jonah West–Deputy, who comes from Springfield PD. He graduated from the academy in 2021, and joined Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office on July 27, 2022. Deputy West is community oriented and his personality has blended well with our agency already.”
A statement from the KCSO regarding the status of Sheriff Frazee states, “Sheriff Frazee is currently in a rehab facility recovering from his accident and subsequent surgery. He gets stronger every day and we are hopeful for his return home soon.”
