November 28, 2022 |
Come January, there will be a new sheriff in town.
In an outcome that may have surprised some, Patrol Deputy Alex Bakken was elected Carbon County’s newest sheriff in this month’s general election. Bakken, like other Republicans in contested races, finished strong. He defeated his more experienced opponent, Morris with 71% of the vote. Now he’ll have the opportunity to make changes in the department as he promised during the primary and general election campaigns.
Originally from Wisconsin, Deputy Bakken has been heavily involved with criminal justice programs throughout his schooling. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in legal studies, Bakken moved to Wyoming, where he worked his way through the ranks of the sheriff’s department.
Bigfoot 99 recently had the chance to speak to the sheriff-elect. When asked why he decided to run, Bakken said he wanted to make the job he loves better by improving the way the department operates.
Pictured above: Alex Bakken during a candidate forum at the Carbon County Higher Education Center. Photo courtesy Carbon County Higher Education Center livestream.
While running for sheriff, Bakken emphasized decreasing response times to emergency calls. According to his election website, sheriff’s deputies are only available 30% of the day and operate mainly out of Rawlins. With almost 8,000 square miles of Carbon County to cover, Bakken said he would like to have more officers on patrol.
Bakken said he also wants to increase his department’s interactions with the public. According to his website, Bakken doesn’t want people to see the Sheriff’s department as “simply ‘catching bad guys’ or ‘fighting crime’.” Bakken said he wants to provide more opportunities for people to engage with deputies in a positive way.
Bakken said other agencies in the area offer public engagement programs like the ones he suggested. The sheriff’s department did offer DARE, but classes haven’t been held for about a year due to Covid. Bakken said Rawlins High School offers senior students job shadowing, where they can do ride-a-longs with sherriff’s deputies.
As sheriff, Bakken will have authority over the Carbon County Jail in Rawlins. The patrol deputy said he wants to improve officer well-being at the jail.
Law enforcement agencies across the nation are struggling to recruit and maintain staff. Bakken said the Carbon County Sheriff’s Department is no different. The new Sheriff said he wants to encourage people to join by providing paid education.
Interstate 80 is a major concern for Bakken. A prime corridor for trafficking, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Department helps the Wyoming Highway Patrol stem the tide of illegal substances flowing across the country. Bakken said having more deputies would make the job a little easier.
Bakken ran on a platform of community involvement, increasing coverage area, and staff investment. The newly elected sheriff explained the future of his department will be determined by the community.
When Alex Bakken takes his place as Carbon County sheriff in January, he’ll have the opportunity to put his plans into motion. He said he will be relying on input from county residents to improve the way his department operates.
