Brighton Standard Blade 9
June 23, 2022
Where the four Republicans running to represent the 8th Congressional District stand on the big issues
penalty. “We believe this is a murdering of a human being,” she said, according to a 2019 Colorado Sun article.
BY SHANNON NAJMABADI THE COLORADO SUN
Four candidates are running in the June 28 Republican primary in Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District for the chance to face Democratic state Rep. Yadira Caraveo in November. The 8th District is the most diverse U.S. House district in Colorado and it’s expected to be one of the most competitive in the nation this year as Republicans fight to take back control of Washington, D.C. More than 40% of active registered voters in the ndistrict are unaffiliated, and the rest .are about evenly split between the Democratic and Republican parties. The Colorado Sun asked the four Republican candidates in the 8th District, which covers parts of Adams, Larimer and Weld counties, their positions on what are expected to be the top issues in the race.
Who are the candidates Tyler Allcorn, a former U.S. Army Green Beret. He is a political newhcomer who lives in western Arvada, which isn’t in the 8th District. He plans to move into the district if voters elect him to represent them. • Barbara Kirkmeyer, a state senator from Brighton. She is a former Weld
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into treatment.
-Adams County operates its own academy, Flatrock Regional Training Center. What is the most important thing to teach new police cadets? It is important to teach new recruits the importance of the new laws that mandate reporting of crimes, some of which is, if they see improper actions by their co-workers, they must report the action. We also need to ensure that the State required training hours met
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opioid crisis? The sheriff has a key role in education, enforcement and reduction to affect the opioid crisis. In 2017-2018, I identified the issues concerning opioid use and the recidivism in our jail and with several other stakeholders started the first Vivitrol Program in Adams County focused on inmates that were being released with an opioid addiction. Inmates who volunteered for the program received medication before leaving the facility and had appointments for follow-up physical and mental health care to ensure their success. The sheriff is obligated to reduce recidivism and help by providing education to assist in reducing opioid use.
Republican candidates in the 8th Congressional District clockwise from top left: Tyler COLORADO SUN FILE PHOTOS Allcorn, Barbara Kirkmeyer, Jan Kulmann and Lori Saine.
County Commissioner and dairy farmer. • Jan Kulmann, the mayor of Thornton and an oil and gas engineer. • Lori Saine, a Weld County Commissioner. The conservative firebrand, from Firestone, served eight years in the state House. When should abortions be allowed and under what circumstances? All four candidates identify as being anti-abortion. Kulmann and Allcorn don’t support
abortions except in cases of rape and incest or if the life of the mother is at risk. Kirkmeyer thinks abortions should be allowed only in cases where a mother’s life is endangered by pregnancy. As a state lawmaker, Saine sponsored legislation that would have made all abortions illegal, including in cases of rape and incest, and would have made doctors who perform abortions subject to criminal penalties, including life in prison or the death
for the mandatory training as well, for all employees.
We have bi-weekly meetings to discuss hiring strategies and retention ideas. Our citizens advisory board has been extremely helpful in this area with innovative ideas.
What is the biggest issue facing the sheriff’s department? Staffing as population continues to grow in Adams County, it affects our patrol and jail staff. We need to increase our civilian staff as well as the amount of deputies. How would you deal with that issue? We are strengthening our hiring recruitment and our retention efforts. It is difficult as other agencies are doing large sign-on bonuses and paying a considerable amount more we need to be more creative to draw that talent to the Sheriffs Office. Adams County operates its own academy, Flatrock Regional Training Center. What is the most important thing to teach new police cadets? In law enforcement and policing, constitutional and civil rights are the most important topic of concern. Agencies and cadets can then serve in their communities with a better understanding of how to work and interact with their community members while repairing the mistrust of law enforcement. However, running your own training facility requires leadership, command staff and instructors who lead by example and who hold the highest qualities in morals, ethics and education to instruct and provide the most accurate, analyzed and resourced information for their learning experience and success. What is the biggest issue facing the sheriff’s department?
What is another issue that you would make a priority if elected? We need to take a serious look and updating our jail or building a new one closer to the courthouse. As our current jail is dated and in need of costly repairs, we must take a close look at the financial cost of repairing or replacing it. We also need to look at expanding the Flatrock training center as the additional training requirements are changing through legislation, we need to ensure we are prepared Administration and Administrative review, morale, transparency, community trust and engagement How would you deal with that issue? I would complete a 360 review of all sheriff’s office functions and Divisions, re-establish policy and procedures, review hiring practices, disciplinary practices, review retention performance, budget review and recruit past and new employees who qualify and who have left during the last four years to help with staffing needs. What is another issue that you would make a priority if elected? Communicate and reach out to communities and community groups to repair our relationships and identify their policing needs. Communicate and reach out to other stakeholders,
Here are more details on where the candidates stand on abortion: ALLCORN: “I’m pro-life and believe in exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Allcorn said in a written statement. His campaign website says he believes in the “sanctity of life and the unborn” and that “taxpayer money should never be used to subsidize abortions.” KIRKMEYER: “I am pro-life but accept an exception for when the life of the mother is in imminent danger.” KULMANN: “I’m pro-life, and don’t support abortion except in the case of rape, incest and the life of the mother. If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, it will be up to the states. Colorado voters have spoken on this issue several times, and the Supreme Court decision won’t change much here. I do support federal legislation that would limit late-term abortion, except in cases when a mother’s life is at risk, and I strongly support the Hyde Amendment — taxpayers shouldn’t pay for abortion.” SAINE: “I am pro-life and my record speaks for itself,” Saine said in SEE ISSUES, P11
to meet the requirements and needs of our staff and community. What should the sheriff do regarding homeless and encampments reported in Adams County? The Sheriffs Office is assisting the Adams County Park Rangers in finding resources for those experiencing homelessness, finding them safe environments to live and not cause stresses upon the community in which they are currently encamping. It is our hope that our co-responder program will integrate with the homeless community as well, so they can receive the mental health/ addiction treatment they could potentially need. mental health care professionals and agencies in Adams County to build a proactive, collaborative group of professionals to work collectively in providing services in Adams County and the sheriff’s office. What should the sheriff do regarding homeless and encampments reported in Adams County? The sheriff should work collaboratively with other elected officials, cities and forms of government to establish resources to provide mental health services, education, training, employment and housing resources to help reduce homelessness and enable the homeless an opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. To help reduce economic, environmental and safety concerns to both the homeless and community members.
