DCSO Public Information Officer Lauren LeKander is enjoying her adopted home of Castle Rock, where she lives with her husband George and their four children.

Submitted by the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce

An interview with Lauren LeKander

Tell me a bit about your background and how you ended up as the Public Information Office (PIO) for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).

I started working as a dispatcher in California at the age of 19 because I wanted to help people and make a difference.  I was a dispatch supervisor in California and applied for the job here in 2013, and was fortunate to get the job I wanted.  My husband grew up visiting here and he’s always wanted to move here and now we all love it!  It’s a little cold in the winter but we love Douglas County and Castle Rock where we decided to settle.  We are city people who now own a horse, which is pretty interesting!

What are your primary responsibilities as the PIO?

I became the PIO in 2015.  My biggest responsibility is to highlight all of the positive things that our Sheriff’s Office is doing.  Obviously there are negative things to report, but we enjoy letting people know about all the good that we do.  We participate in raising money for a lot of charities like Special Olympics.  We also collect donations throughout the year and do a program each Christmas for kids and families in need.  My job is to really highlight what the Sheriff’s Office does – not just informing about crime and public safety, but also the more humanizing and personalizing aspects of the department.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love the all around involvement with the different units in our department.  There are not a lot of positions where you can interact with all the various units, so I’m very fortunate.  However, I would say community outreach is my favorite part of the job.  Kids are always excited to see our deputies, our K-9 unit, our SWAT team and our mounted patrol, and making those connections between the community and deputies and getting to see the excitement of our young kids is so rewarding.  I have small kids, so it’s fun for me to see the kids get excited over the “cool things” that the Sheriff’s Office does.

Is there anything that residents of Castle Pines should be made aware of in terms of public safety issues?

In the Castle Pines community we’ve seen an increase in vehicle and garage burglaries.  People are leaving their garage doors open and cars unlocked and keys in the car, and they are leaving personal belongings like laptops, purses, and phones in the car.  Individuals who commit these thefts are criminals of opportunity and unfortunately we are giving them the opportunities.  These crimes happen everywhere – neighborhoods, fitness center parking lots, parks, open spaces and trails.  These crimes can be easily prevented.  Douglas County is one of the safest counties in the state, but we are not immune to crime.  We have to continue to protect ourselves.

If community members have questions or concerns or want to know more about what the DCSO does, what should they do?

Feel free to contact me with general questions and concerns and I can refer people to the appropriate place.  We also post frequently on NextDoor, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for current and up-to-date information.  Our website is www.DCSheriff.net, and my contact info is 303-660-7511 or email me at LLekande@DCSheriff.net.