Shirk v. Maketa: Debate Challenge Issued

**UPDATE** Maketa has responded to our request for a debate, but has also included a scurrilous and frivolous charge against Chief Jake. This site will be updated today but you can listen to our initial campaign response on the KRDO morning show here.

My dear friends and visitors to the website:

On June 7th, we issued the following challenge to the incumbent Sheriff for a series of debates. Please read this letter and join us in asking my opponent to join us in thoughtful and meaningful conversation about the serious issues facing our community. -Chief Jake

Dear Terry,

I respectfully challenge you to a series of four debates between now and the Primary Election on August 10th.

I have questions for you. You have questions for me. More importantly, the Republican primary voters have questions for both of us. It is our obligation to answer those questions, be transparent to the voters, and clearly articulate our different positions on the key issues facing our county.

The Republican voters of El Paso County deserve an opportunity to see us side-by-side and understand the stark differences between your administration and my platform for the future.

It is imperative that the voters across the county have multiple opportunities to understand our differences, ask us questions, and hold us accountable. That is best accomplished in a series of debates—two in June and two in July to include different formats, venues, moderators, and audiences.

To plan these debates and provide adequate time for promotion of them, I respectfully request an answer to this challenge by next Monday, June 14th.

Terry, I’d be happy to discuss this with you directly. You can reach me on my personal cell at 719-208-4140. Or, should you agree to this proposal, your campaign team can coordinate details directly with my campaign manager, Carla Roche. She can be reached at 719-659-2419 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I know that it is “politics as usual” for an incumbent, such as yourself, to ignore a challenger. I’m a cop, not a politician. My sincere hope is that I can convince you to put politics aside and to address the real law enforcement challenges facing El Paso County.

Sincerely,

Police Chief Jake Shirk

 

Chief Jake's Priorities:

"More Guns on the Street"                                                      • click to see details •

• 20% more Deputies on Street Patrol in the first 18 months
• Leading the way on "Freedom to Carry" legislation in Colorado (2nd Amendment Rights)
  

"Fiscal Transparency & Responsibility"                      • click to see details •
 

• I will never ask for a tax increase; only the voters should be behind new taxes,
   not the folks in charge of spending the money.
• Online check register for transparent review of all categories of expenditures
• Public meetings every 90 days to review budget and priorities
• Cut waste by combining duplicated services (regional training academies, dispatch centers, etc.)
  

“Integrity First"                                                               • click to see details •

• Immediate performance reviews of all personnel to ensure highest professional standards
• Implementation of a new code of conduct; no tolerance for sub-standard or tawdry behavior

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->
 
Experienced Leader

Long-time Gun Rights Advocate
As your Sheriff I will continue to FIGHT for your right to carry concealed. I believe with passion that a well-armed citizenry is not just a right, it’s a necessity for the preservation of our safety and our liberty!

  • Five Years, Chief of Police, Monument
  • 29 Years, Captain, Aurora, P.D.
    • District Commander
      • Largest District Section in Aurora (100,000 citizens)
      • 14 Million+ Budget
      • 190 Employees
    • S.W.A.T Commander (2+ years)
      • Multiple commendations for action under fire
      • 40+ Officer SWAT Team
    • Aurora Jail Commander
      • 4 Years
      • 3 Million+ Budget
      • 200+ Bed Facility
      • Max security prisoners
    • 911/Dispatch Commander
      • 50+ Staff/Supervisors
    • Detective & District Station Commander
      • Responsible for Fleet Operations
      • Various Budget Responsibilities
      • Member, Tactical Committee
      • Academy Instructor
      • Rewrote S.O.P. for Entire Department
      • Staff Inspection, Vice and Narcotics Unit
    • Distinguished Service Cross for Extraordinary Heroism
       
  • NRA Member
  • Lifetime Republican
  • Active Church Member
  • Married 35 Years
  • 4 children and 10 grand-kids
  • Bachelors of Science, Criminology
  • Masters Degree, Management
  • Professor, Criminal Justice, Colo. Technical University

 
 
Smart & Practical Plan

My plan calls for an immediate and direct change in protocol to put more deputies on patrol throughout the large El Paso County region. Without asking for a single dime more and within the confines of the current budget I commit to a 20% increase in the number of deputies on patrol throughout the day and night.

That plan also puts in place a policy of full fiscal transparency. Learn more here.

I spent the majority of my law enforcement career in Aurora Colorado, where many of the same challenges we see in El Paso County including illegal aliens, substance abuse, robbery, and violent crime were problems we faced daily. See my full resume online here.

I have spent the last five years as one of the Chiefs of Police in El Paso County (for the Town of Monument). During my time in El Paso County law enforcement we have reduced crime, increased street patrols, implemented new technology, and delivered superior results on a slim budget. THAT is what I will continue to deliver as the Sheriff of El Paso County.

 

SWAT Team in Action