The M.C.S.O. covers approximately 2,000 square miles of canyons, national forest,
mountains and high altitude desert. The population of the county is about 26,000 people, with the
cities of Cortez (7,000), Dolores (1,100), Mancos (1,300), and Towaoc (800) included in population
total. Towaoc is on the UTE Mountain UTE Indian Reservation which is patrolled by the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. Montezuma County also encompasses Mesa Verde National Park as well as Hovenweep
National Monument and the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. The Sheriff's Office has
115 sworn patrol deputies, detectives, detentions officers, search and rescue members, reserves,
explorer cadets, and posse members. Special units are one K-9 unit, a S.W.A.T. team, community
corrections, and D.U.I. enforcement units. Patrol deputies are all given take home patrol vehicles
which are currently black and white Dodge Durangos. Other agencies inside Montezuma County are the
Cortez Police Department, Mancos Marshal's Office, Colorado Division of Wildlife, National Park
Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as
the Colorado State Patrol.
Montezuma County is a chellenging place to work, and a great place to live. Each year patrol deputies
respond to approx. 15,700 calls for service and serve hundreds of civil papers. The M.C.S.O. is housed
in a modern facility with a jail that has approximately 110 beds. For more information
visit www.montezumasheriff.org.
