Sheriff

The Costilla County Sheriff's Department is addressing their response protocols for calls for service, a necessary step to ensure the most effective allocation of resources while maintaining a strong commitment to public safety.

Our primary mission remains the safety and well-being of our community members. We are witnessing a shift in the types of calls that require our immediate, in-person attention, particularly those involving victims. To address this effectively, we must adapt our operational strategies.

In recent years, the nature of calls for service has become increasingly complex, with a significant rise in incidents requiring a victim-centered approach. To meet these evolving demands and to ensure the highest level of support and investigation for those most vulnerable, the Costilla County Sheriff’s Department will be prioritizing resources towards crimes against persons and other serious incidents that directly impact victims.

Like many agencies nationwide, the Costilla County Sheriff's Department is currently operating with staffing levels that necessitate a more strategic deployment of personnel. As a result, starting July 17, 2025, all incoming calls for service will undergo a careful evaluation and prioritization based on the severity of the incident, the presence of an immediate threat, and the potential for successful resolution through various means.

While deputies will continue to respond in person to emergencies, crimes in progress, and incidents posing an immediate threat to life or property, some non-emergency calls may be handled differently. This may include:

• Prioritized In-Person Response: Incidents such as violent crimes, sexual assaults, child abuse, domestic violence, and other serious felony offenses will receive immediate in-person response and dedicated investigative resources.
• Phone-Based Resolution: For certain non-emergency calls, such as delayed property crimes with no suspect information, lost property, or general inquiries, deputies may handle the report or provide assistance over the phone. This approach allows deputies to remain available for higher-priority incidents while still addressing community needs.
• Scheduled Appointments: In some instances, for non-urgent matters requiring an in-person interaction, an appointment may be scheduled to ensure efficient use of resources.

We understand that these adjustments may lead to questions, and we want to assure our residents that every call will be carefully assessed. Our goal is to ensure that those who need us most receive the immediate attention and resources they deserve, while still providing support and guidance for all calls for service. We appreciate the community's understanding and cooperation as we implement these necessary changes to better serve Costilla County.

The Costilla County Sheriff's Department encourages residents to continue reporting all incidents. For emergencies, always dial 911. For non-emergencies, please call 719-672-0673.

The Colorado State Legislature passed new legislation that changes the process for anyone seeking to apply for or renew their concealed handgun permit (CHP), and for verification of firearms instructors. Those changes are detailed below.

• House Bill 24-1174 was signed into law in 2024 and goes into effect 7/1/2025. Any CHP application submitted on or after 7/1/2025 must comply with the new requirements.
• Handgun training classes must be conducted by a Verified Instructor.
• Firearm instructors must be "Verified" through the Sheriff's Office in the jurisdiction where the majority of their training is conducted.
• Verification is valid state-wide.
• Verified Instructors must be listed on the local Sheriff's website.
• New training requirements include a written test with a minimum score of 80% and live-fire training and test with a minimum score of 70% accuracy for both New and Renewal applicants.
• Classes are to be held in-person by the Verified Instructor. No portion of the class shall be on the internet.
• New applicant training class must be a minimum total of 8 hours and the Renewal applicant "refresher" class must be a minimum of 2 hours.
• Training certificates signed by a Verified Instructor will be valid 1 year for New applicants and 6 months for Renewal applicants.
• Costilla County Sheriff’s Office will continue to accept active law enforcement or military ID, Colorado law enforcement officers retiring within 10 years, honorably discharged military (DD214), or an official handgun shooting competition.

What does this mean for me?

If you do not have a current CHP but want to apply for one, after July 1, 2025 you will be required to take a class taught by a Verified Firearms Instructor. 

If you currently have a CHP, you can only renew your permit up to 120 days (4 months) before it expires.  After 7/1/2025 you will be required to take a “refresher” handgun training class from a Verified Firearms Instructor unless you retired within the past 10 years from law enforcement, the military, or participate in organized shooting competitions.

If you are a current firearms instructor, you must comply with the new requirements in order to continue teaching classes for concealed handgun permits.

CCW Verification Certificate Steven Woelfel

CCW Verification Certificate Paul Gerhart

Colorado Public Sex Offender Search & Notifications

Pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 16-22-112, most recently modified and amended by Colorado House Bill 1035, law enforcement agencies are authorized to release information about registered sex offenders living within the agency's jurisdiction on the agency's website.

Not all sex offenders registered with the Costilla County Sheriff's Office are published here. Per CRS 16-22-112, first time misdemeanor offenders and some juveniles are excluded from this list.

For a complete list of all registered sex offenders, contact Monique Trujillo at (719) 672-0673 or sheriff [at] costillacounty-co.gov (sheriff[at]costillacounty-co[dot]gov) (opens in new window)

The confidential information is provided to you so that you can adequately protect yourself and your children from these individuals.

The sex offender registry includes only those persons who have been required by law to register and who are in compliance with the sex offender registration laws. You should not rely solely on the sex offender registry as a safeguard against perpetrators of sexual assault in your community.

The crime for which a person is convicted may not accurately reflect the level of risk.

Vigilantism, or use of this sex offender registry information to harass, threaten, or intimidate any registered sex offender, his/her significant others, or any member of their community supervision team will not be tolerated and will result in criminal prosecution

Criminal Justice Records Request

We hope that providing these simple guidelines and forms will produce an easier way for you to request Criminal Justice Records & Public Records that reside within our agency.

The Costilla County Sheriff’s Office releases records as it applies to the public records that may exist in accordance with the Colorado Criminal Justice Records Act, C.R.S. 24-72-301, and the Colorado Open Records Act, C.R.S. 24-72-201.

Keep in mind some 'Public Records' are not the work product of this agency.

If you need clarification about what agency to request a 'Public Record,' we encourage you to start here. We'll let you know if your request falls under Costilla County Government's purview. 

Submit request

Requests may be submitted by email, mail or in person 

costillacountyco [at] gmail.com (Email)

Costilla County Sheriff's Office
Attention:  Records Request
P.O. Box 6
San Luis, CO  81152

or in person at: 103 Gaspar Street, San Luis

Costilla County Open Records Act Policy and Form