Armed deputies at meeting

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The presence of uniformed Weston County Sheriff’s deputies at a county commissioners meeting isn’t necessarily unusual,  but two being posted on either side of the door is rare. When asked by the News Letter Journal via a Nov. 8 email about the presence of the deputies at the Nov. 2 meeting, Chairman Marty Ertman responded, “Based on your question, shouldn’t it be directed at the sheriff?”
When NLJ contacted Sheriff Bryan Colvard, he said that his understanding, based on conversations with a Wyoming Highway Patrol lieutenant, is that County Clerk Becky Hadlock had requested that a trooper attend the commissioner meeting. 
“Hadlock requested that their trooper be there,” Colvard said. 
Colvard said he contacted Hadlock to ask about the request for uniformed officers. She told him that “we” thought it would be nice to have a uniformed officer there. 
According to Colvard, the request to have a trooper at the meeting “seemed odd” and he was not made aware of any threats made that would have sparked a safety concern. He noted that he sent deputies because he did not think troopers were necessary, and that his office could provide the service. 
When asked for comment on the request, Hadlock said that the request was due to the large crowd that was expected to be in attendance at the meeting. 
“I was visiting with a highway patrolman about the crowd and because Sheriff Colvard was already on the agenda, I asked if [the patrolmen] would be in the area and would be able to swing by the meeting,” Hadlock said. “He let me know he would visit with his supervisor about having a couple of patrolmen at the meeting.” 
She added that Colvard then called her and let her know he would have two deputies at the meeting.