Boulder County Sheriff: Curtis Johnson

Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.
·2 min read
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Oct. 16—Name: Curtis Johnson

Party: Democratic

Website: johnsonforboco.com

Age: 53

Family: Married to Janet Johnson for 29 years; two adult children, both live in Longmont.

How long have you lived in Boulder County: 53 years

Professional background: Retired from the Boulder Police Department as a deputy chief of police after serving 27 years; currently serving as a division chief with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.

Political/community experience: First-time candidate, active volunteer with various organizations.

Education: Master of Arts in public administration, American University; Bachelor's degree in American politics and government, University of Puget Sound; Fairview H.S.

What are some of your immediate priorities upon stepping into the role of sheriff?: Continuing to work on disaster response and preparedness; working with other leaders to address the challenges of behavioral health in the criminal justice system (especially in the jail); looking for opportunities to collaborate with other agencies to improve public safety in Boulder County.

How does your background and career in law enforcement prepare you for this new role?: Having worked in law enforcement in Boulder County for nearly 30 years and working for Sheriff (Joe) Pelle since early 2021, I have learned the organization and begun building the relationships that I will need to be successful.

Boulder County has gone through several devastating natural disasters in recent years. How do you think the county could be better prepared to respond to those types of situations?: First, we must acknowledge the role climate change is playing in the evolution and frequency of these disasters. I am committed to looking for sustainability improvements at the Sheriff's Office and reducing our contribution to their root cause. The Marshall Fire is a "game changer" for how we will prepare and respond to fires. We are already hard at work knowing each disaster we face provides an opportunity to learn and adapt in preparation for the next disaster. While we cannot predict what will happen next, we can develop systems and response plans for the most anticipated disasters, and we must be willing to evolve to keep our communities safe.