After nearly two years serving as sheriff of Clear Creek County, Matthew D. Harris will be leaving the Sheriff’s Office for another opportunity in law enforcement. His departure is bittersweet: he will be missed by employees, community members, and public safety partners, but his efforts have positioned the Sheriff’s Office for continued success and stability under the current leadership team.
Sheriff Harris explains “When I was appointed sheriff, I had a vision for rebuilding the organization. But I’m just the visionary. With the leadership team and staff we have in place now, we have been able to make incredible progress. Their efforts and commitment to the community and this agency have positioned the Sheriff’s Office to build on the significant progress we’ve made to become the local law enforcement agency Clear Creek County desires and deserves.
“When an opportunity presented itself that will greatly benefit my family, I took it because I am comfortable leaving this organization in the very capable hands of the experienced and dedicated leadership team we put in place over the last two years. Together, we have built the solid foundation that is the Sheriff’s Office today. Therefore, I strongly recommend Undersheriff Brown assume the sheriff’s duties until the General Election next November. Changing administrators mid-term would disrupt our forward progress with organizational improvements, recruitment and retention, and rebuilding trust with those we serve. The Sheriff’s Office is in a really good place right now and we need to keep it that way under its current leadership team.”
Under Sheriff Harris and the leadership team, the Sheriff’s Office has right sized its budget by cutting spending even while increasing salaries for sworn and civilian staff to ensure competitive compensation. Clear Creek County is on the cusp of becoming the first Sheriff’s Office in the state to offer a Fire and Police Pension Association (FPPA) defined retirement, thanks in large part to 80% voter approval. The agency has implemented over 200 new or updated policies to align with law enforcement best practices, and sworn staff now participate in training or in-services each week. Technological improvements include an upgraded patrol fleet, drone program, electronic ticketing, electronic payment, and Flock cameras to aid criminal investigations.
Sheriff Harris is expected to leave the Sheriff’s Office at the end of October. He has recommended to the Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners that Undersheriff Matt Brown assume sheriff’s responsibilities until the next general election cycle to ensure continuity of operations and ongoing initiatives. Undersheriff Brown was born and raised in Clear Creek County and has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 25 years. He was hired as a Detentions Deputy and rose through the ranks to Captain of Special Operations before being appointed as undersheriff by Sheriff Harris in January 2024.
