Sheriff and deputies awarded $5M in 1st Amendment retaliation case

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A federal jury for the District of Colorado has awarded over $5 million to a Colorado sheriff and three deputies in a wrongful termination case.

Former chiefs for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Timothy Coates and Gene Claps, along with former captain Mark Mitchell and former commander Kevin Currier brought the federal lawsuit against Adams County and then-Sheriff Richard Reigenborn in 2020.

“In 2019, then-Sheriff Rick Reigenborn won the Adam County Sheriff’s Office sheriff’s race. He terminated all of these individuals simply because they were supporting a different candidate. A candidate they thought would be better for the public safety,” said Iris Halpern, one of the attorneys on the case.

The lawsuit stated that Reigenborn, who has been convicted of felony forgery for faking police training records, terminated the employees from their positions after learning they supported his opposition in the 2018 race, incumbent Mike McIntosh.

“Sheriff Reigenborn admitted that he looked at who donated to the other campaigns because that’s public information,” Halpern said.

Claps has since been elected as sheriff and was sworn in January 2023. He said his running for sheriff had nothing to do with the case.

“This is a separate issue that we are facing with the violation of our constitutional rights, and running for sheriff was all about the safer communities and stronger leadership in our community, which we all deserve,” Claps said.

“It was fantastic to be able to go back and start performing the job that all of us have been doing for our entire lives,” he said.

Coates and Mitchell said they are just thankful to end their career on their terms.

“I’m 64 next month, so unfortunately, I think I’m too old to do what I need to do and to serve the way I’ve always served,” Coates said. “I spent 35 years giving it 100% and while I can do it mentally, sometimes I don’t know if I can do it physically.”

“It gives us a little closure,” Mitchell added. “It gives us an opportunity to come back and end our career on our terms, not as, Mr. Coates eluded to, not taken away from us.”

In the end, their attorneys said they hope this case sends a message to other law enforcement agencies.

“I think it sends a loud warning,” Halpern said. “They shouldn’t be playing politics with law enforcement and with the safety of our communities because there is going to be a lot of tension, there is going to be a price to it.”

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office in a Wednesday statement acknowledged the conclusion of the case but said the case focused on “protecting employees’ Constitutional Rights and not discriminating for political affiliation or political retaliation.”

“As it has always done, the Sheriff’s Office will continue to be a reliable and proactive agency that protects and serves the community equally,” a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said. “Our Agency will continue to collaborate with our communities to provide professional law enforcement services.”