After more than two decades of working as an FBI agent, J.B. Robert Espinoza wants to bring his law enforcement skills to the office of sheriff.
Espinoza, who retired earlier this year, said he decided to run against incumbent Ted Mink to help the department become more efficient, innovative and transparent.
His experience includes working as a special agent accountant and language specialist, a civil rights investigator and coordinator, an equal employment investigator and coordinator and an FBI relief supervisor.
Espinoza wants to reduce property crimes and robberies countywide, increase transparency in the sheriff’s department and see more deputy patrols in neighborhoods.
The Colorado native decided to retire when he was nominated by the Democratic Party to be its sheriff’s candidate.
Among the changes he would make: releasing the Columbine video tapes, which the current sheriff chose not to release.
“There’s something to gain from there,” Espinoza said. “Parents could draw characteristics that could help them identify potential problems with their children.”
He also said he wants to look into a recent teenage strip search incident, as well as start a mental health evaluation program for inmates after four suicides this year in the jail.
Espinoza has served on a variety of boards: the board of directors and board of advisors for the Latin American Research and Service Agency (LARASA); Board of Metropolitan State College of Denver Alumni Association and on college’s board of directors; City Club of Denver board of directors.
Espinoza’s site, www.espinozaforsheriff.com, should be up by the end of September.
J.B. Robert Espinoza
Age: 58
Residence: Unincorporated Jefferson County
HOW LONG: Since 1991
Family: wife, Signe; and one adult son
Profession: Ex-FBI agent, private investor.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Metropolitan State College in Denver; Denver Chamber of Commerce foundation leadership program.
Ted Mink
More than three years after he took office, Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink is running for re-election with hopes to continue programs for public education, outreach and crime reduction countywide.
Mink brings more than three decades of law enforcement to the job, and he also helped start a multi-jurisdictional team to combat drug crimes.
As the county’s top cop, he wants to continue a decentralization plan in which the department works to provide locations and services in each community.
Mink says community relationships are lowering property crimes and auto thefts.
He also wants to address traffic-related issues; the major complaint from neighborhoods is speeding.
“It’s two-fold,” he said. “It’s education, and it’s changing behavior.”
The department also faces challenges as it outgrows its detention facility, which exceeds capacity, he said.
“This is a mounting issue that has got to be resolved in the next four to five years,” he said.
He said the department is working with counselors to ensure inmates get screened after four suicides at the jail, he said.
Also in the last year, Mink decided not to release tapes made by two Columbine High School gunmen. His decision came after he consulted with the FBI behavioral analysis unit in Quantico.
“I used my best judgment and (relied) on academic people who have studied school shootings,” he said. “There is nothing that could be learned from these tapes.”
Learn more about Mink at www.minkforsheriff.org.
Ted Mink
Age: 56
Residence: Conifer
HOW LONG: Since 1979
Family: wife, Carla; two adult children and three granddaughters
PROFESSION: Sheriff since 2003
Education: B.A. in social sciences, University of Northern Colorado; Graduate of Northwestern University Senior Police Management Institute