Saratoga Officer Moves To Sheriff’s Office As School Resource Officer

August 18, 2023 |

Photo – Saratoga Police Department – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga Police Sergeant resigns to join Sheriff’s Office as a school resource officer.

At Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Police Chief Mike Morris announced that Sergeant Tyler Christen had handed in his resignation. Sgt. Christen has been with the Saratoga Police Department since October of 2016. Chief Morris said Sgt. Christen accepted a position at the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office as the school resource officer for School District Number Two. Chief Morris said the students of CCSD2 will benefit from having Sgt. Christen around.

In early June, Sheriff Alex Bakken began discussions with CCSD2 Superintendent Darrin Jennings to have a school resource officer in the Saratoga, Encampment, Hanna, Elk Mountain, and Medicine Bow schools. In total, the District Two resource officer would cover seven different schools across the eastern portion of the county.

Later in June, Sheriff Bakken informed the Board of Carbon County Commissioners that the CCSD2 school board had approved the appointment of a school resource officer.

Deputy Joel Robinson is the resource officer for Carbon County School District One. Deputy Robinson was sworn in on February 28^th specifically to serve as the school resource officer for CCSD1, the first in the history of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.

At Tuesday’s Saratoga town council meeting, Chief Morris said Sgt. Christen will be missed. The police chief said Sgt. Christen’s last day with the Saratoga Police Department was Tuesday, August 15^th. Chief Morris said he was aware of the sheriff’s offer to Christen. The chief said Sheriff Bakken wanted Christen ready for the first day of school on Monday, August 21^st.

Chief Morris informed the council about Sgt. Christen’s resignation on the same day the chief issued his statement regarding the death of Officer Glen Casner.

An emotional Mayor Chuck Davis asked Chief Morris to send the town’s regards to Sgt. Christen. Chief Morris said he’ll arrange a going away party for Sgt. Christen at a later date.

After nearly seven years with the Saratoga PD, Sgt. Christen has chosen to focus his law enforcement career on protecting the school children of Carbon County. The town council wished Christen luck in his new job.

No date has been set for Sgt. Christen’s going away party.