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AdCo Commissioner: Sheriff's Office Hiring Relatives 'Unfair'

Written by Brian Maass

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A CBS4 Investigation prompts a review of hiring practices that led the Adams County Sheriff's Office to hire mostly sons and daughters of department administrators since 2009.

Adams County Commissioner Erik Hansen said he wants to re-evaluate the status of a sheriff's office summer jobs program and the hiring practices that led the sheriff to hire mostly sons and daughters of department administrators and commanders in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

"We believe everyone in Adams County should have a fair shake and it should be what you know, not who you know. I don't think the hiring of alot of relatives is consistent with the direction we want to take Adams County," said Hansen.

His remarks followed a CBS4 Investigation that showed sought after summer jobs, that paid thousands of dollars, have been primarily going to relatives of Adams County Sheriff's Office employees. In the last three years, of the 18 people hired for the $10 an hour jobs, 13 were sons and daughters of sheriff's office employees.

Several were given the jobs two or three summers in a row. In a response to a CBS4 Open Records Act Request, the Adams County Sheriff's Office acknowledged the summer jobs were not posted, advertized or marketed, even though they were funded by taxpayer dollars.

"Positions are not formally announced," wrote the sheriff' office in a statement.

In an earlier interview with CBS4, Adams County Undersheriff Roger Englesman was asked about the preponderance of Adams County Sheriff's Office offspring getting the plum positions, which involved administrative support and other basic responsibilities.

"Do I have a problem with it? No, I don't," said Englesman.

But Hansen disagreed, "I think what's important for the citizens are that we don't want these practices to continue. It's not good for the county or the citizens and we have got to change them."

Hansen went on to say that it was unfair to not let community members know about the jobs.

"Every job in the county should be advertized- period," said Hansen. "I have concerns when practices do not appear to be open, fair and transparent. Absolutely."

Hansen said the sheriff's office has offered to meet with the three commissioners and explain the hiring pattern, but he said that meeting has yet to occur.

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