SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — Summit County’s newly adopted 2026 budget has resulted in 13 Sheriff’s Office positions being eliminated, Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons announced Monday.
FitzSimons emphasized, “No frontline detention, patrol, or supervisory positions were cut.”
However, as of Friday following the final budget adoption for 2026, the following positions were eliminated to meet budgetary constraints:
- SMART Program – 3 positions
- Community Service Officers – 2 positions
- Traffic Safety Unit – 2 positions
- Animal Control and Shelter – 1 position
- Court Security – 1 position
- Pretrial Services Technicians – 2 positions
- Public Affairs Lieutenant – 1 position
- Administrative Support Specialist – 1 position
FitzSimons said the layoffs were necessary after the Board of County Commissioners cut his office’s requested budget of $16.9 million by more than $2 million, leaving his office to absorb rising insurance costs.
The impact of these budget cuts, FitzSimons noted, will extend beyond layoffs.
“The budgetary impact does not stop with staffing. Reduced funding will also limit training, equipment, and operational capacity. Nearly every aspect of our Sheriff’s Office will be affected,” FitzSimmons said in a press release.
FitzSimons and county commissioners have faced off over budgets before. Last year, FitzSimons filed a lawsuit in district court against the board of county commissioners, alleging the board abused its discretion when it voted not to adopt the sheriff’s budget.
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