Mesa County Sheriff Matt Lewis Is Stepping Down

There's going to be a new sheriff in town.

Mesa County Sheriff Matt Lewis announced today he is retiring from the sheriff's office and will be going to work at Community Hospital.

Sheriff Matt Lewis Moves On

In his statement, Lewis says his decision to retire is not based on "anything other than what is good and right for my family." He expressed his appreciation for his family's support and sacrifice through the years.

Lewis has served 25 years in the Mesa County Sheriff's Office and has been sheriff since 2015. He says his proudest moments have been the passage of Mesa County's public safety sales tax, which brought the agency much-needed resources. Lewis says they have been able to increase the number of staff and provide better service to Grand Junction and the surrounding areas.

The Darkest of Moment

One of the darkest moments of his tenure, Lewis says, was the shooting death of Deputy Derek Geer in 2016. Lewis said ' Although it was one of the darkest and most difficult things we have ever experienced, the outpouring of community support truly carried us through those times."

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A New Start For Lewis

Meanwhile, Community Hospital has announced that Matt Lewis will be their new Director of Safety and Security beginning Monday, August 9. In a release, the hospital said Lewis will lead the facility's safety and security efforts and initiatives.

Lewis' last day with the sheriff's office will be August 6, and then it will be up to the Mesa County Commissioners to name a temporary replacement until the election in 2022.

Best Wishes To Sheriff Lewis

My personal connection to Sheriff Lewis is fairly limited, but my interactions with him have always found him to be kind, caring, and professional. It's also my opinion that he has done a tremendous job in leading the Mesa County Sheriff's Office these past 6 years and helping to make Mesa County a better place to live.