Rock County sheriff presents dashcam footage, board to send video to Garfield County

Rock County Sheriff Ben Shelbourn presented dashcam video May 19 that he said rebutted concerns raised by the Garfield County Commissioners about Rock County deputy travel. The Rock County Board of Commissioners agreed to send Garfield County a letter and a thumb drive containing the footage.

Why it matters: The exchange addressed an intercounty dispute over law-enforcement activity and prompted the county to provide recorded evidence to a neighboring jurisdiction. Commissioners also referenced a state statute that, according to the minutes, permits mutual assistance between counties without an interlocal agreement; the meeting did not identify the statute by number.

What happened: Correspondence from the Garfield County Commissioners had raised concerns about the Rock County Sheriff’s Department traveling through Garfield County. Sheriff Shelbourn, along with Deputies Jacob Gardner and Derek White and County Attorney Kurt Arganbright, attended the meeting and provided dashcam video which the minutes say “proved that there was not the concern that Garfield County had claimed.” Following that presentation, the board voted to send a formal letter to the Garfield County Commissioners and include a thumb drive with the dashcam footage.

Scope and next steps: The board’s action was limited to transmitting the evidence and a letter; the minutes do not record any formal finding, sanction, or interlocal agreement. The county identified a statute permitting mutual assistance but did not specify its citation during the meeting. No further procedural steps were announced at the May 19 meeting.

Context: The dispute was raised via correspondence from Garfield County; Rock County’s response focused on providing evidentiary video and a written explanation. The minutes do not record any public comment on the matter beyond the sheriff’s presentation.