Albany County sheriff briefs commissioners on crime trends; board approves HIDTA grant, inmate medical RFP and communications-site MOUs

Sheriff Aaron, Albany County Sheriff's Office, told the Board of County Commissioners on June 3 that 2024 call activity in Albany County remained concentrated in traffic, property and civil-process calls and that staffing covers a roughly 4,300-square-mile jurisdiction serving about 38,000 people. "We have 46 sworn deputies," Aaron said, and noted the office works jointly with Wyoming Highway Patrol, Laramie Police Department and University of Wyoming Police Department on many cases.

The sheriff highlighted specific 2024 figures that drew commissioner attention: about 237 arrests on warrants, roughly 142 motor-vehicle crashes and 22 traffic fatalities in Albany County in 2024. He said driving-under-the-influence enforcement and motor-vehicle crashes continue to be significant parts of the office's workload. Aaron also reported an increase in canine activity and said trespass calls in 2024 were high (about 85) but were down in 2025 to date.

The sheriff described how the office handles calls that do not rise to criminal cases—recorded as CAD calls—and explained the county's relationship with federal immigration authorities. He said local charges are separate from civil federal immigration actions, and that Albany County is not pursuing participation in the 287(g) program because the county lacks the staffing, facility and funding to meet federal detention and training standards.

After the presentation, the board took three actions related to the sheriff's office. It approved the renewal grant agreement with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation for a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) deputy — a grant in the amount of $78,578 covering salary and fringe for one deputy for 2025 — and directed the sheriff to sign the award. Aaron said the grant pays a portion of the position and the county provides match for benefits not covered by the grant.

The board also approved a request to issue a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for inmate medical services at the Albany County Detention Center; the sheriff's office advised the current contract expires Aug. 30, 2025. The county listed an approximate budget figure in preliminary budget planning: "about $850,000" annually as an approximation based on a 2021 estimate of about $687,000 adjusted for inflation and service needs; the board unanimously directed the clerk to advertise the RFP. The sheriff's office told the board the RFP will require a lengthy provider questionnaire and that the county expects vendors to demonstrate capacity to provide statutorily required medical services for 16 hours per day.

Finally, the board approved memoranda of understanding (MOUs) defining ownership and space rental at the Joe Mountain communications site. The MOUs attach county, Carbon Power and Light, the U.S. Forest Service, the University Amateur Radio Club (UARC) and Beadmore Land & Cattle Corporation as site users; the county removed one proposed user (Simon James & Simon Co.) for revision and will consider that MOU at a later meeting.

Why it matters: the sheriff's presentation quantified demand on county public safety resources and prefaced budget items that commissioners will consider in coming weeks. The HIDTA grant and the inmate medical RFP are immediate fiscal and operational matters that will shape detention and enforcement capacity.

Discussion vs. action: the sheriff's briefing was discussion; the board took formal actions to accept the HIDTA grant, to advertise the inmate-medical RFP, and to approve the communications-site MOUs. The approvals were moved, seconded and carried by voice vote during the June 3 meeting.

Next steps: the sheriff's office will proceed with the RFP and the county clerk will advertise it; the county will sign the HIDTA grant award and continue work on finalizing MOUs for remaining site users.