<\/p>\n
Aiding his command, new Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin has selected local police detective Jim Kingery as his go-to man.<\/p>\n
Immediately after taking his oath of office on Tuesday, Jan. 13, Nowlin announced that Kingery had been tapped as the next Montezuma County undersheriff. With nearly 19 years of experience with the Cortez Police Department, Kingery was the top candidate from a pool of 12 applicants for the Montezuma County undersheriff position, Nowlin said. Kingery has served as lieutenant detective with the police department since 2010.<\/p>\n
\u201cI admire that Jim is honest, hard-working and has commonsense decision-making skills,\u201d said Nowlin.<\/p>\n
As undersheriff, Kingery is charged with overseeing daily operations of all divisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not a yes man,\u201d added Nowlin. \u201cHe thinks things through.\u201d<\/p>\n
Honored to be entrusted with the position, Kingery said he had worked with Nowlin on numerous investigations while at the police department.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a good working relationship,\u201d said Kingery. \u201cWe trust one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nowlin\u2019s demands for undersheriff included state officer certification along with 10 years of law enforcement and an additional four years of command staff experience. Applicants were also subject to criminal and financial background checks, a written decision-making test, a 20-question oral review board by law enforcement administrators and a final interview with Nowlin.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a fair, equal and challenging process,\u201d said Nowlin.<\/p>\n
Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane described Kingery as a respected, honest and trustworthy officer.<\/p>\n
\u201cJim is just as stand-up as it gets,\u201d said Lane. \u201cThe county got a good one with his hiring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kingery\u2019s former police academy roommate, Cortez Police Sgt. Andy Brock, reiterated Lane\u2019s endorsement. He said Kingery was the top-performing student during their police training days nearly 20 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody in our class wanted to be Jim\u2019s partner in exercise scenarios at the academy,\u201d said Brock. \u201cHe had a perfect score in firearms.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brock described Kingery as a cautious and focused commander committed to seeing things through to the end.<\/p>\n
\u201cJim is slow to burn,\u201d said Brock. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t lose his composure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kingery predicted his greatest challenge assuming the role of undersheriff would be learning the job and how the sheriff\u2019s office operates. Trust, he said, would be the greatest attribute he\u2019d draw on from his near two-decade career in law enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to trust people that work under you,\u201d said Kingery. \u201cYou have to be able to oversee your staff without micromanaging them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kingery said being a native of Cortez would also be beneficial as undersheriff.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m familiar with the people that live here,\u201d he added. \u201cThat will be a big plus.\u201d<\/p>\n