ADAMS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HISTORY PAGE

Law enforcement in Adams County started on December 1, 1902, when Governor J.B. Orman appointed Martin R. Bromley as Sheriff.  During Sheriff Bromley’s term, he was best known for being locked out of the Brighton City Jail by the town marshal, forcing him to transport and house county prisoners in Denver. Until the Adams County Jail was built in the basement of the Carmichael Mansion at 34 S 5th which the county leased in 1903 for it’s first courthouse.  When the courthouse burned on January 19, 1904 the county commissioners leased the Reuter residence on the southeast corner of south 3rd and Bridge St.

In 1905, the first elected Sheriff was the former proprietor of the Elite Saloon, J.P. Higgins. In 1906 Sheriff Higgins served 60 days in his own jail for contempt of court.  The courts reversed his election to a third term when election improprieties were discovered. The next Adams County Courthouse was completed at South 4th and Bridge St. in May 1906.  The new facility separated the men and the women and the Sheriff’s wife usually cooked the meals.

Clyde Hackley was sworn in as Sheriff in 1907, but served only one term before losing to Herman Schloo in 1909.  When Hackley refused to vacate his office quick enough, Sheriff-elect Schloo and 30 armed men stormed his office.

The next election brought in former farmer George Rucker, followed by Edward A. Gormley and L.H. Miller.  Miller was elected in 1923 and served until 1927. On October 11. 1923, Adams County’s first deputy died in the line of duty. Leonard Higgins, son of former Sheriff J.P. Higgins, was killed while on motorcycle patrol after being run over by a sugar beet truck.

The next two Sheriffs Lee Templeton and Lewis Ballard, spent the majority of their term raiding stills and apprehending “Bootleggers.” Shortly after being re-elected, Sheriff Ballard died while on vacation in California.  The UnderSheriff, Herman Farney, was appointed Sheriff and then re-elected for two more terms through 1947.  The capture of the “Red Lights Bandits” was the highlight of his career.

The next two Sheriffs each held office for six years.  Homer Mayberry, from 1947-1953 and Ira Bashor, from 1953-1959. Robert Roberts was elected Sheriff in 1959, but was removed from office following his conviction for burglary and conspiracy.  Roberts’ involvement in a burglary ring with several Denver Police Department officers resulted in his serving 5-6 years in Canon City. In an attempt to clean house, the Board of County Commissioners appointed the Westminster Police Chief, Guy Van Cleave as Sheriff. In 1964 the Sheriff’s Office/county jail was built at 1901 E Bridge St.  This modern facility held 70 prisoners. The Juvenile Detention Center was built in 1970.

Van Cleave served until 1973, followed by Bert Johnson from 1973-1987. Sheriff Johnson started the Bomb Unit in 1974 and the K-9 unit in 1983.  In 1986, Sheriff Johnson was found not guilty of 22 counts of sexual harassment. Ed Camp served from 1987-1995 initiating an explorer post.  William “Bill” T. Shearer from 1995-2003 started instructing DARE in two schools in January 1989. The Sheriff’s office now has 19 certified DARE instructors teaching in 31 schools.

The new Adams County Jail was opened in 1985 to hold 480 prisoners almost immediately the jail was remodeled for double bunking to hold 960 inmates.  An addition was added to the Jail in 2000 to house 768 more prisoners.  Police protection for all of incorporated areas in Adams County is provided by the Sheriff’s Office.  Patrol cars operate from a number of Substations.  The most recently constructed Substation in April 2001 at 4201 East 72nd Avenue; Commerce City is a Adams County Services Center which houses Sheriff’s Office Patrol, Detectives, Crime Lab and Property/Evidence, in addition to Motor Vehicle, Tri-County Health, Probation, Parole, and Community Services. The current Sheriff Doug Darr took office in 2003.  

 

History of Adams County

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 1600’s the plains Apache settled along the South Platte River where they could farm and hunt along the Front Range.  The Arapahoe replaced the Apache followed by incursions by the French and Spanish who introduced firearms and horses.  These Indians hunted the vast herds of buffalo and wild game.   In 1803, the area became territory of the US under the Louisiana Purchase from the French after a change of hands in 1762 from the Spanish.  In 1858 Colonel Jack D. Henderson provided meat to the mining camps by establishing the first major ranch near present-day Henderson.

In 1860 eight farmers dug the first irrigation ditch canal, Brantner Ditch, on the west side of the South Platte River and the Elkhorn Ditch on the east side, later known as the Brighton ditch.

The spike for the first continuous transcontinental railroad was driven on August 15, 1870 at Camanche Crossing later renamed Strasburg in 1875.  Also in 1870, railroad real estate agent filed the town plat for Brighton by 1887 Brighton was incorporated and became the county seat.

In 1884, Oasis Reservoir, now the location of Barr Lake State Park was created.

In 1878 the Kiowa train depot was renamed Bennett in honor of H.P. Bennett, the town was incorporated in 1939. 

In 1889, the first canning factory, Brighton Canning Company, was built in Brighton. In 1890, sugar beets were promoted as a cash crop.

In November 15, 1902 Adams County was created and the first Board of County Commissioners met on December 4, 1902.  Adams County was named after Colorado governor Alva Adams (1850-1922) and was a reduction of the old Arapahoe County.

In 1909 the information of the Farmers Reservoir & Irrigation Company (FRICO) brought large-scale agricultural development and settlements to western Adams County. The truck farms along the South Platte River produced cabbage, tomatoes, celery, pickles, onions and other vegetables sold at the Denver City Market. 

In 1916, The Great Western Sugar Company was built in Brighton, a show place for the industry, and was visited by dignitaries until it closed in 1977.

In 1930, Continental Oil Company refinery was built in Commerce Town.

In 1940 Federal Heights was incorporated, becoming a city in 1977.

In 1953, after World War II, suburban communities were developed.  Sam Hoffman laid out a “City of Planned Progress” named Thornton after Governor Dan Thornton, incorporated in 1956.

In 1959, Perl Mack Homes, Inc. laid out the town of Northglenn, incorporated in 1968, located north of Thornton.

Commerce Town was renamed Commerce City in 1962 and incorporated the communities of Adams Heights, Derby, Dupont, Irontree and Rose Hill.