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THE DETAIL NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2022

THERAPY PUPPY IS OFFICIALLY ON DUTY

Riley

Meet the newest member of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. Riley, a 9-week-old black Labrador puppy, was sworn in by Sheriff Tyler Brown on September 12 to begin working as the first official therapy dog for Cherry Creek Schools. Riley will join our two other therapy dogs, Rex and Zeke, who work in Littleton Public Schools.

Left to Right: Deputy John Gray with Rex, Sgt. Matt Cleveland holding Riley and Deputy Travis Jones with Zeke. Photo courtesy of the Centennial Citizen.
“The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office has seen great success with the use of therapy dogs at our neighboring school districts and we’re excited to expand our program to the students and staff in the Cherry Creek School District,” says Arapahoe Sheriff Tyler Brown.

Riley is teamed up with School Resource Officer Deputy Adam Nardi. They are assigned to all the Cherry Creek schools in unincorporated Arapahoe County and Centennial.

Deputy Adam Nardi with Riley

Riley has already started working in the schools, offering mental health support to students and staff, bringing comfort to kids and helping to reduce stress and anxiety.

Riley with students at Homestead Elementary School in Centennial

Watch the video below to see Riley's first day at work or read more from the Cherry Creek School District and the Centennial Citizen.

A MESSAGE FOR TEEN DRIVERS

By Deputy Benjamin Sears, Traffic Unit

Deputy Benjamin Sears

Think for a moment, you’re young, you just got your driver’s license and you're now behind the wheel without a parent scrutinizing you as you drive. You pull out of the driveway, FREEDOM! Time for adventure and going where I want. But recent crashes in Centennial like the one below, are a reminder of how dangerous a vehicle can be.

There are laws governing teen drivers in Colorado:

  • For the first six months, drivers under 18 years old may not have anyone under the age of 21 in the vehicle (siblings are exempt from this)
  • For the next six months, one passenger under age 21 is allowed
  • No driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m. (with some exceptions such as medical emergencies)
  • All teen drivers and passengers MUST wear seatbelts
  • Teens under 18 are not permitted to use a cell phone while driving

As much as putting on a seatbelt may seem like a chore, we see numerous accidents where serious or even fatal injuries occur due to not wearing a seatbelt. While it's still possible to be injured or killed while wearing a seatbelt, the odds are in your favor when you wear one.

For parents wanting to know, “How do I monitor my child’s driving?", while we cannot endorse any specific product, there are apps such as Life360, insurance safe driving apps, and devices you can place in the vehicle to monitor your teen's driving. Dash cameras that see out the front, in the passenger compartment and rear windows are not very expensive. Plus, if your child is in a crash, the cameras help show who did what in the event of conflicting stories.

A recent rear-ender crash involving a 17-year old driver in Centennial

In the end, a lot of trust is involved in allowing teens behind the wheel. In Colorado over the last two years, too many teens have died on the roadways either due to their own fault or that of another driver. Remember, no matter the experience, the driver is ultimately responsible for their vehicle and the occupants in it. If people get hurt or killed, there are serious consequences.

To learn more about Teen Driving Restrictions in Colorado, click the buttons below.

DEPUTIES RESCUE WOMEN FROM SUBMERGED CAR

Three Arapahoe Sheriff deputies helped rescue two women from a submerged car after the driver mistakenly drove down a boat ramp and into the Cherry Creek reservoir. It happened on September 10 around 11 p.m. The women were heading home from a wedding reception on a foggy night. The driver told deputies she didn't see the reservoir and drove into the water at 30 mph. As the car was sinking both women called 911 in a panic.

Submerged car in Cherry Creek Reservoir

Thankfully, a man and woman were night-fishing nearby and witnessed the accident. The man jumped in the water and tried to help, but the water was too deep. Sheriff deputies arrived within minutes, quickly removed their duty belts and vests, and dove into the water while one deputy stayed back to assist. Deputy Nolan pulled one woman out of the car while the other woman managed to get out on her own. Deputies Paulson and Vollenweider helped them both get back to shore.

L to R: Deputy Riley Nolan, Deputy Zach Paulson and Deputy Cole Vollenweider

The driver admitted to drinking alcohol and was issued a summons for DUI. Neither woman was injured. On Sunday morning, the South Metro Fire Rescue Dive Team pulled the car out of the lake. Watch the stories below on CBS News Colorado and FOX31.

A 911 CANCER BATTLE

"I just want to make sure every woman knows the importance of a breast self-exam," Cory Rieck, CAD Administrator

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It was New Year’s Eve, 2021, a night when most people are out celebrating the start of a new year. But for Cory Rieck, it was just the beginning of a painful journey she never expected. It was the night she discovered a lump in her right breast.

“The hardest thing I had to do was tell my husband because he lost his first wife to lung cancer 10 years ago,” says Rieck.

But Rieck says her husband, Alan, responded with love and compassion and has been by her side every step of the way.

Cory's husband, Alan Rieck

Within days of the discovery, Rieck was scheduled for a mammogram. She knew something was wrong when the doctor also requested an ultrasound. Minutes later, her doctor broke the bad news... they had found a second lump. Both of them were biopsied and the next day Rieck got a phone call.

“The doctor told me it was breast cancer and each lump was a different type of cancer; one was a very aggressive form. I remember I just sat in my car and cried,” says Rieck.

Rieck began working at the Sheriff's Office 28 years ago. She started her career as a 911 dispatcher in 1994 and is now a CAD Administrator, managing the computer-aided dispatch system. While her job is demanding, it had to take a back seat to her sudden diagnosis.

Almost immediately, Rieck began weekly chemotherapy treatments. After five months of chemo, she had a double mastectomy. Then, radiation.

Cory Rieck undergoing chemo treatment
“I was very lucky they caught it when they did because the cancer hadn’t yet spread to my lymph nodes, even though it was Stage 2 going into Stage 3. That’s why I’m always advocating for women to do those self-exams regularly so you can try to catch it before it spreads," says Rieck.

Today, the tumors are gone and Rieck is officially cancer-free. She says it was only by the grace of God that the second tumor was found.

"God has a plan for each of our lives. You have to have faith that He's going to get you through it," says Rieck. "It takes a lot of strength to get through something like this, but I'm a firm believer in the power of prayer."
911 dispatchers supporting Rieck during her battle with cancer

BUY A PATCH, HELP A CANCER PATIENT

Pink patches for sale for only $3

During the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Sheriff's Office sells merchandise to help support local cancer patients in Colorado. All the money raised from the sale of the items helps fund treatment for breast cancer patients at Littleton Adventist Hospital. The merchandise includes blue and pink pins, patches, hats, challenge coins and more. Click the button below to see our online store.

LET'S MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER

Join us as we partner with Faith & Blue for a police/community outreach to strengthen ties with those we serve

Law enforcement agencies across the country are partnering with faith-based organizations for National Faith & Blue Weekend, October 7-10, to help build stronger communities. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, together with Summit Church, will host our first Faith & Blue event: a Sunday Service and Community Forum titled "Stronger Together” on October 9 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Summit Church, 7200 S. Clinton St. in Centennial. The event is free, open to the public and people of ALL faiths are invited to attend.

The speakers for the panel discussion include Arapahoe Sheriff Tyler Brown, Civil Rights Attorney, Qusair Mohamedbhai, Aurora NAACP President, Omar Montgomery and Sergeant Edred Bryan II.

After the service, we invite the public to stay for a free BBQ lunch. We'll showcase some of our department resources, such as our K9 unit, mounted patrol horses and school therapy dogs.

Childcare will be offered during the service for infants through children in 5th grade, but parents are also welcome to bring their elementary students into the Community Forum.

The event will be livestreamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. We hope to see you there!

Read more about Faith & Blue on FOX NEWS or watch the video below.

IT'S TIME TO SHRED!

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with Metro Denver Crime Stoppers and FOX31 for our annual Shred-a-thon at our headquarters in Centennial. Shredding is free but donations are highly encouraged and all the money raised will be used by Crime Stoppers for rewards for information regarding unsolved crimes. So bring us your sensitive documents for shredding and we'll see you there!

NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK DAY

Get rid of your unused, unwanted and expired medications on National Drug Take Back Day. The Sheriff's Office is hosting three drop off sites to collect your unwanted prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Locations are listed above. We'll see you there!