MINERAL COUNTY — There will be a change in leadership at the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 10, 2023, when newly elected Mineral County Sheriff Terry Wetherill will be sworn into office.

Wetherill won the position in the 2022 election in a close race with current Sheriff Fred Hosselkus. Hosselkus served Mineral County diligently for the past 16 years.

Though Wetherill will not be sworn in for another two months, he is setting the stage for the next four years and is beginning with creating a foundation of trust within the community he will be serving.

Between now and Jan. 10, Wetherill will be gathering data and talking with the community to gain perspective on what is needed throughout the county.

“I want to know what is needed of me so that when I do take office, I can get boots on the ground and get moving,” said Wetherill.

While collecting data and community perspective, Wetherill will be doing the same within the sheriff’s office as well.

“This is my opportunity to set the foundation in the department with employees,” he said. “I need to know their concerns as well. I will also be working with Mineral County Commissioners on policies and procedures so that my expectation of employees is also clear.”

The Mineral County Commissioners are working with Wetherill to create a budget that will allow him to continue training and to purchase some much-needed equipment.

“We are figuring out the priorities,” Wetherill said. “Some things are more important than others, especially in equipment and training. I will be doing an integrated preparedness planning workshop in coming weeks so that we can look at where our strengths are and what we need to work on.”

One of Wetherill’s main focuses moving forward is the need to reevaluate the progress of the department.

“We will need measurable metrics as we move forward so that we can measure progress,” he said. “This is how we observe results and know how to move forward through each phase of this first term.”

In addition to the work Wetherill is doing in preparation for his new office, he will continue to work with Mineral County Search and Rescue and continue to serve as Mineral County Emergency Manager until a replacement is hired.

In his first few months, Wetherill plans to continue work with the Creede School District as it navigates security protocols and changes at the school, intends to strengthen his relationship with the City of Creede and other law enforcement agencies throughout the San Luis Valley.