Republican Laramie County Sheriff Candidates hold public discussion

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - Cheyenne citizens filled the Good Egg Restaurant Tuesday Morning to have breakfast and listen to discussions with all three Republican Sheriff Candidates in the upcoming primary election.

Former Cheyenne Police Chief Brian Kozak prioritized the need for a culture change within the sheriff’s department.

“They’re going to come here and check and talk to other deputies, and deputies are going to say ‘don’t come here’ until we change that culture,” said Kozak.

Kozak wasn’t alone in pointing out areas of improvement. Boyd Wrede, a former technician of the Laramie County Bomb Squad and former member of the Cheyenne Police Department, talked extensively about the need to get a deputy presence back to the rural areas of the state.

Wrede said, “If you can call that deputy up and say ‘hey, this is what I’m seeing, can you keep an eye on it?’ And have that contact, that’s how we get a better view from our public.”

While these candidates offered insight on what changes they believe should be made, Don Hollingshead, Laramie County’s current Jail Captain, spoke of changes he’s already been implementing over time.

“Now the inmates, they used to be 16 hours out of their cell in the housing units. I cut that down to 2 hours a day to ensure that we didn’t have to do forced overtime,” Hollingshead mentioned.

The primaries will be held for the Laramie County Sheriff’s position on August 16th.

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