The Montezuma County Sheriff\u2019s Office has investigated a recent confrontation between two women at a local soup line, and has reported that the armed woman had resigned from the sheriff\u2019s office days before the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was not an employee,\u201d Sheriff Steve Nowlin said on Tuesday, Oct. 27.<\/p>\n
A Cortez Police Department report dated Oct. 10 revealed that a homeless woman alleged that an armed sheriff\u2019s employee confronted her about a stolen marijuana plant. After reading about the incident in The Journal on Oct. 20, Nowlin said he ordered an investigation.<\/p>\n
He said his greatest concern was to determine whether the woman, identified as Connie Jones, was impersonating a peace officer. Employment records revealed that Jones had worked as a county detention officer trainee starting Sept. 1. She resigned Oct. 6, four days before confronting the homeless woman at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church.<\/p>\n
In light of the incident, The Journal asked Nowlin if sheriff employees were allowed to cultivate or consume marijuana, even for medical purposes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he emphatically replied. \u201cWe have a zero-tolerance policy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nowlin further explained that department policy required all employees to notify the sheriff\u2019s office even when taking prescribed medications.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an issue of firearm safety,\u201d Nowlin said.<\/p>\n
The sheriff\u2019s investigation also revealed that Jones had invited the homeless woman into her residence for dinner days before resigning. That\u2019s when Jones said she told the homeless woman that she worked for the sheriff\u2019s office, according to the investigation.<\/p>\n
Jones, armed with a Glock .40-caliber handgun during the confrontation at St. Barnabas, also told sheriff\u2019s detectives that she threatened to file theft charges against the homeless woman if the stolen marijuana plant wasn\u2019t returned. The plant reportedly belonged to Jones\u2019 roommate. No charges have been filed.<\/p>\n
An eyewitness at St. Barnabas confirmed with sheriff\u2019s detectives that the confrontation between Jones and the homeless woman was \u201cheated.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to detectives, the homeless woman was unaware that Jones no longer worked with the sheriff\u2019s office when she filed the complaint with Cortez police on Oct. 10.<\/p>\n