by Susan Blake
Welcome to the Walsenburg Police Beat. The police department has a roster of 16 officers:
1. Chief Larry Baldonado
2. Lt. Kurt Liebchen
3. Lt. John Rodriguez
4. Sgt Jim Chamberlain
5. Sgt Heather Pacheco
6. Cprl. Art Jaramillo
7. Cprl. Garry Hornsby
8. John Salazar, Canine Officer
9. Atos, Canine Officer (dog)
10. Kyle Petkoff
11. John Wiggins
12. Joe Deatherage
13. James Ashby
14. Andrea Hoegg
15. Cory Daniels
(in police academy)
16. Ron Romero,
Animal Control
Often, we take for granted the men and women in blue who protect us, our families and our homes, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You may not be aware of their presence, but they are always ready to protect and serve without complaint.
May’s featured officer is:
Sgt. Jim Chamberlain
Sgt. Chamberlain grew up in Huerfano County, graduating from La Veta High School in 1988. His family still lives in Walsenburg. He is married, his wife is from Texas but lived in La Veta. She is a radiology instructor at the college in Pueblo.
Sgt. Chamberlain received an Associated Degree in law enforcement from Norfolk, NE. He then joined the Air Force where he worked in radio/TV broadcasting. After his enlistment was complete, he became a reservist and has had three tours in Iraq. He arrived home from his latest tour in March of 2009.
Sgt. Chamberlain was a police officer in La Junta for one year before joining the police force in Walsenburg. He is the firearms instructor for the Walsenburg Police Department and is responsible for qualifying and training the other officers every six months. His goal is public awareness and strengthening the department as a whole. Sgt. Chamberlain is an excellent role model, showing the youth of today that you can give both to your country and your community.
Safety tip from Sgt. Chamberlain:
To protect your home from break-ins and burglary at night, leave your porch lights on. It is easier for police patrolling and neighbors to see someone attempting to get into a home that is lit, rather than for them to see what could be lurking in the shadows.
