I am very proud and humbled to announce my candidacy for Chaffee County Sheriff in 2026. I have been honored to serve the community as the appointed Sheriff of Chaffee County since September 2024 when I was appointed by the Chaffee County Commissioners to take over for outgoing Sheriff John Spezze. 

I have been a lifelong resident of Chaffee County where I have raised my children. My wife, Kathy, is the Assistant Fire Chief with the Salida Fire Department and we have two children. Kathy and I are also lucky to both have our parents residing in Chaffee County. My wife and I’s families are filled with former and present military and public servants who have served. 

After graduating from Salida High School I knew my call was to protect and serve the community I grew up in. I received a degree in law enforcement from Colorado Mountain College and then attended the police academy in Trinidad, CO in 1997. 

In 1998 I began my law enforcement career as an officer with the Salida Police Department. I enjoyed my time with the Salida Police Department but in 2002 I accepted a job as a patrol deputy with the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office where I have continued to serve the citizens of Chaffee County ever since. 

During my time with the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, I have held several different roles working for four different sheriffs, on both sides of the political spectrum, who all promoted me. I have served as a Deputy, Corporal, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Commander and Undersheriff before becoming your current Sheriff. In total I have 27 years of law enforcement experience and 18 of those years were served as a supervisor. 

I attended an abundant amount of law enforcement supervisor schools including graduating from the FBI Rocky Mountain Command College in 2019 when I was the Undersheriff. Throughout my career I have always continued to further my education through intense training regularly.

Along with my lengthy law enforcement background I have also volunteered my time with several local programs including serving on the board of directors for the Alliance, Crime Stoppers, Adult and Child Protection Teams through the Department of Health and Human Services, Domestic Violence Coalition, one of the original members of the Communities that Care Team through Family and Youth Initiative and Adult Treatment Court (helping addicts get clean), to name a few.

In my short time spent as the Sheriff we have accomplished a lot including creating a co-response team that pairs mental health clinicians with deputies to work with those who experience a mental health crisis in our community. We also brough forth the Blue Envelope program that helps those with mental health concerns and officers better communicate. We have created a High Impact Team to combat human and drug trafficking that has been highly successful. And, we can’t forget, adding ourpeer support K-9, Jaxson, to our team!

One of the things I am most proud of is the extreme increase in deputy proactivity. Proactivity is finding things to do for the community when they are not handling a call for service called in to our dispatch center. We have kept them motivated to be out there working harder than ever for you. In 2023 our deputies averaged 280 proactive calls a month, in 2024 they averaged 400 proactive calls a month and in 2025 they are averaging an astounding 930 proactive calls a month. 

My vision for the future is simple. I want to continue providing ethical, courageous and professional services to the people of Chaffee County while protecting those we all love. Thank you, Chaffee County, for always supporting me and my family over the years and I look forward to serving you another term if you are so inclined. I still have more to do, more to offer and more to accomplish! I will be a Sheriff for all and not a Sheriff with labels. In these trying times we all need someone with my even keeled temperament, that I am known for, to navigate the waters we have been presented with. I see this office as belonging to the community, which is why I am so transparent. My part is to lead it, if you will still have me. 

Respectfully,

Andy Rohrich

Unaffiliated Chaffee County Sheriff Candidate for 2026