Pubdate: Wed, 01 Feb 2006
Source: Fort Morgan Times, The (CO)
Copyright: 2006 The Fort Morgan Times
Contact: 
http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/Stories/0,1413,164%257E8355%257E,00.html
Website: http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2115
Author: John La Porte, Times Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

MUELLER RUNS FOR SHERIFF

Log Lane Village Police Chief Larry Mueller has announced his
candidacy for the Republican nomination for sheriff of Morgan County.

"I don't see and I don't think the citizens see a significant
improvement in the war on drugs in Morgan County," Mueller said of the
last 11 years with Democrats in office.

New ideas -- and all of the players -- need to be brought to the
table, he added.

"It's not just a law enforcement issue," Mueller said. "It's a
citizens' issue, a governmental issue, a people issue."

Of Morgan County's standing as number one in Colorado in
methamphetamine use per capita, he said, "That's pretty scary."

There is an inordinate amount of money being spent on housing and
feeding inmates, and the same offenders are coming back again and
again, he added.

There seems to be a revolving door both for repeat offenders and in
staff as a significant number of employees in the sheriff's department
are leaving for lower-paying jobs, Mueller said.

Morale rather than pay seems to be a significant issue, he
added.

The department budget has continued to increase, and the county
commissioners have done everything to support the sheriff's office,
but other departments seem to have more drug busts and civil seizures
of drug dealers' belongings, such as vehicles, Mueller said.

"Fiscal conservancy isn't an occasional thing," he said. "We're
stewards of the county's money."

The citizens of the county have a right to demand better service for
their tax dollars, he added.

Mueller, 44, has been Log Lane police chief since 1998.

He became a reserve with the Log Lane department in 1995, the same
year he started working for the sheriff's department, and went full
time with Log Lane in 1996.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1997.

Mueller is also the Log Lane town manager, a post he took last
June.

He cited his experience in all phases of local government, including
budgets, grants, intergovernmental relations and supervision of staff,
and proven results in law enforcement.

Mueller was born in Schednectady, N.Y., Jan. 8, 1962, and has been a
Morgan County resident for more than 15 years. He was owner of Home
Electronics in Fort Morgan before going into law enforcement.

He graduated from the El Paso Sheriff's Police Academy in
1995.

Mueller is a U.S. Army veteran.

He is married to Christina and has six children, Mathew, 16; Jason,
12; Victoria, 11; Labrea, 10; Arorah, 8, and Dalyla, 5.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake