ALAMOSA — Before leaving the sunny San Luis Valley for “the Sunshine State,” Alamosa Police Chief Duane Oakes was recognized for his accomplishments and leadership during a farewell reception on Tuesday.

The chief is taking a position in law enforcement in Florida to be closer to his parents, and Captain Ken Anderson is serving as interim chief while the city finds a replacement. Chief Anderson presented Oakes with his badge and a plaque of appreciation for his dedicated service to the people and city of Alamosa on Tuesday as community members and law enforcement officers came to wish the out-going chief farewell.

“We appreciate the positive direction we are moving towards with his guidance,” Chief Anderson said.

Chief Anderson said he has known Chief Oakes for about 18 years, “my entire career pretty much,” and had worked with him both in the Monte Vista and Alamosa Police Departments. He thanked Oakes and Captain Sam Maestas for mentoring him and retired Chief Ron Lindsey for hiring him. Lindsey and retired Chief Roy Orton were both in attendance at Oakes’ farewell reception.

Alamosa City Manager Heather Brooks, who promoted Oakes to police chief four years ago, shared some of the improvements and accomplishments that have occurred in the police department under his leadership.

“It’s pretty amazing to look back at what’s been accomplished,” she said.

Oakes began working for the Alamosa Police Department in 2003, left for a few years and returned to the department permanently in 2008. He worked his way up to lieutenant, captain, interim chief and chief.

In the last four years under his guidance the department has: created a canine program and how has two canine officers; instituted electronic ticketing; deployed body cameras; instituted alternative sentencing for youth and adults; partnered with Advantage Treatment Center for housing city inmates rather than the county jail, which has been experiencing overcrowding; revived Neighborhood Watch; broadened public outreach events like Shop With A Cop; addressed the feral cat problem; implemented LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion), which now has eight participants on track to change their lives and get out of the system; participated in local and statewide boards; been instrumental in the TSJC law enforcement academy; worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration in joint operations and National Take Back efforts; and other efforts.

Pointing to his officers, Chief Oakes said, “They are the ones who truly did all those things. It’s teamwork. Truly it was teamwork and everybody here.” He said he considered everyone who attended the reception his friends and family, and although it was a hard decision to leave, “it’s time to be back with my parents and spend some time with them.”

Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman told Oakes the council respected him and was grateful for his professionalism and leadership. “You have done a wonderful job,” he said.

The mayor added that Chief Oakes had made a difference not only in his department but also in the community. He recalled working with the chief in a literacy program where they went to the elementary school and read to the children.

“He was the rock star,” Coleman said. After the children heard the chief read to them, they all wanted to become police officers, he said.

Alamosa County Sheriff Robert Jackson, who had worked with Oakes at the police department before being elected sheriff and knew him long before that, said he enjoyed the cooperative relationship they had within the department and subsequently between their two offices. He said the two offices have known a cooperative relationship in recent years that had never occurred before.

Community members who have worked with Chief Oakes over the years, Judy McNielsmith and Lance Cheslock, thanked him for his compassion for the community, his professionalism and integrity.

“Your values, as well as your professionalism, have made a huge difference,” Cheslock said.

Caption: Interim Alamosa Police Chief Ken Anderson, right, presents a plaque of appreciation to Chief Duane Oakes during a farewell reception for Chief Oakes at city hall on Tuesday. Oakes’ final day is today, Aug. 8./Courier photo by Ruth Heide