GOLDEN — Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputy Gordon Neuenfeldt never liked the saying that law enforcement is a young man’s game. But at age 61, he’s said he’s starting to understand the expression.
“I cringe sometime because you don’t want to admit you’re getting older, but we are getting older,” Neuenfeldt said. “This job can take a toll on the human body.”
Serving as a crime prevention deputy who mostly attends community meetings and other events, he doesn’t often have to chase criminals any longer. But Neuenfeldt still has decided to retire after 23 years with the Sheriff’s Office. His last day is
Friday.
Neuenfeldt is one of 25 in the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office scheduled to retire this year, a higher number than typical years and a result that will leave the office with some big shoes to fill.
“That loss of experience is challenging to overcome,” said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Mark Techmeyer.
because of lower salaries, prompting deputies to jump to a different law enforcement agency. The county has worked to address that and l. The department can employ 541 deputies.
Even though the retirement numbers are high — there were 16 retirements in 2015 — Sheriff Jeff Shrader looks at that as “healthy attrition.” While he said it hurts to lose experienced officers, he’s glad to see people finish their careers with the department.
Most of the positions will be backfilled with cadets graduating from an upcoming academy.
“We’ve been very aggressive with recruiting, and we’re certainly excited for new opportunities and careers for people,” Shrader said. “We’re also very proud of the people who are leaving at the right points in their life.”
Ten staff members already have retired this year, with two more coming by the end of the month. Undersheriff Ray Fleer, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 1979 and also served as undersheriff for , will retire in September. Shrader said he’s selected division chief Patsy Mundell to succeed Fleer.
“The knowledge of the organization that Ray in particular has is unparalleled,” Shrader said.
Investigator Jose Aceves, 61, has said 2016 will be his final year with the Sheriff’s Office, but he hasn’t settled on a last day.
After being with the department for 23 years and in law enforcement for going on 40 years, he said he knows now is the right time to go.
He said there is a lot he will cherish from his time at the sheriff’s office, but he won’t miss being on call.
Aceves said the veteran officers have always done a good job of mentoring younger people at the department. That will be more important this year.
“I think rapport between recruits and vets has been good,” he said. “We’re here to help, to give them any experience we have and try to pass it on so they become a better police officer.”
Neuenfeldt will see his job go to deputy Janie Gonda, but he said he will always be there to answer her calls for advice, even after he moves to Florida.
This is something that has Gonda more at ease heading into a new position.
“I can eventually get to the place I need to, but it definitely helps to know he’s a phone call away,” Gonda said.
Neuenfeldt said there’s many things he’ll remember from his time as a deputy, but the incident that stands out most came when a woman dropped by to thank him for saving her life during a welfare check when she was suicidal.
She told him that had he not been there that day, she probably wouldn’t be alive today. After hearing that, he knew he could retire happy.
“I fulfilled a service part of this industry that was in my heart,” he said. “I know I had done other things like that, but this is the first person to come in and tell me that, and it had a profound effect on me.”
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or @joe_vacc
