Officers purporting to be from both the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Springs Police Department have written anonymous letters, posted on a public website and contacted reporters from local media to voice accusations about corruption, safety issues and a lack of transparency within their respective agencies.

The letters are signed by “The men and women of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office” or “a veteran officer and supervisor” at CSPD, but authorship has never been verified, nor have all of the accusations.

Persons known to be officers or deputies have vouched for the anonymous complaints, but only on the condition that they, too, remain anonymous.

Recently, Sheriff Bill Elder denied claims made in one anonymous letter that said he showed favoritism and nepotism when hiring and promoting. Police Chief Pete Carey said he would not comment on any anonymous letters written about his department when officers have multiple forums to voice their concerns.

Carey meets regularly with groups that support officers, like the Colorado Springs Police Protective Agency and the Officers Advisory Committee. He talks to officers during line-ups. He holds a supervisor’s conferences once a year, as well as a staff retreat for ranks lieutenant and higher, Carey argued in an interview Thursday.

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