WEDNESDAY, August 5, 2026|
Photo – Dispatch support image – Courtesy CCSO
Two members of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office are being honored for their bravery and service.
During yesterday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Sheriff Alex Bakken announced that Sergeant Zach Burns and Dispatcher Karigan Gates were being recognized by the Wyoming Peace Officers Association. The Wyoming Peace Officers Association provides training, support, and recognition for the state’s law enforcement community.
In June, Sergeant Burns was shot in the line of duty while responding to a call for service in Baggs. He was critically injured and spent nearly a month and a half in a Colorado hospital before returning to Rawlins two weeks ago to a hero’s welcome.
The Wyoming Peace Officers Association’s award conference is Wednesday, August 12th in Casper.
Later in the meeting, Sheriff Bakken said the events of June 8th, when Sergeant Burns was attacked, highlighted the fact that emergency dispatchers aren’t classified as first responders under Wyoming law. As a result, they do not receive the same mental‑health benefits as law enforcement officers, EMTs, and firefighters. He added that the state is considering a bill to revise the definition of first responder to include dispatchers, a measure he said he’ll support.
Under Wyoming law, a “first responder” is specifically defined as a peace officer or an employee or someone who volunteers as a firefighter, search‑and‑rescue personnel, or ambulance personnel. The Joint Labor, Health, and Social Services Committee is considering a bill to amend the Workers’ Compensation Act to extend mental‑health benefits available to first responders to public safety telecommunicators as well.
Sheriff Bakken said he supports reclassifying dispatchers as first responders because their work puts them in direct contact with people in crisis.
In a social media post, Sheriff Bakken wrote that, “We strongly feel that our dispatchers deserve the recognition of first responder.” He added that under the existing workers compensation laws, dispatchers are ineligible to receive coverage for mental‑health injuries incurred on the job, such as post‑traumatic stress disorder. The sheriff encouraged the public to contact their state legislators and urge them to support the change.
