Law enforcement in the ‘Urban Interface’
An interview with Sheriff Frank Fehn
By Juan Morales.
Sitting on the western edge of Colorado Springs, Teller County generally remains quiet, an area of second homes and commuter suburbs. But two recent events put Teller County on the national map—the capture of the Texas Seven in January 2000 and the giant Hayman Fire in June 2002.
Teller County Sheriff Frank Fehn’s term ended on January 14, 2003, and he retired after 46 years of working in law enforcement. Along with the other members of Teller County law enforcement, Fehn found himself in the midst of each crisis while contributing to the resolution of both cases.
Meeting Frank Fehn
About twenty
miles west of Colorado Springs in Divide, I waited in the Teller County
Sheriff’s Office, a dark brown building with pine green trim. I have no
idea what Frank Fehn looks like, but when I finally meet him, he looks exactly
like I imagined him: a tall, stocky older man in glasses with good posture.
In the background of the Sheriff’s office, I hear the banter of police patrols and dispatchers talking on their frequency. Fehn speaks with careful and deliberate language throughout our conversation. Every single answer he gives is filled with specific details.
His career started in Nassau County in New York in 1957, where he served as a patrolman, then as a homicide investigator for seven years. Working in Nassau County, the part of Long Island just east of Brooklyn and Queens, was a sharp contrast from Teller County. Fehn, a New York native, says, “The folks would say good morning to you [in Teller County]. It’s a different culture with a totally different pace.”
After retiring the first time in 1977, he worked several jobs, including stints as a corporate security officer and a security administrator before deciding to move to Colorado.
“My first wife and I went around the country, anticipating retirement every summer. We came out here in 1976 to visit and while driving through Teller County on Highway 24, we decided we would retire here.”
Stumbling into the Job
Shortly after arriving in September of 1984, his first wife passed away, leaving him unsure of his future: “I was wondering what am going to do? I got a new house being built while my children are back in New York.” Suddenly, it was as if law enforcement was calling him back to work.
Fehn started slowly and went into the private investigation business with a company called Corporate Risk Consultants, which he established with a retired Colorado Springs police captain and retired FBI, military and CIA investigators. They investigated civil and criminal crimes until he was appointed Teller County Coroner in 1988 and worked there until 1997.
Due to some unusual circumstances, which included the resignation of the previous sheriff and a bylaw stating that if there is no deputy to the sheriff, the county coroner can be sworn in, Fehn suddenly found himself to be the sheriff of Teller County, in charge of the county’s largest department, with the largest budget and 71 employees. He was confirmed by the voters as sheriff in 1998.
In my head, I could not help but think that this was like a scripted cop movie. The big city cop retires and moves away to enjoy the rural life, but finds himself unable to leave crime fighting behind. Of course it starts slow, but fate, in the form of freaky coincidences, kicks in. The hero suddenly realizes that the criminal element is impossible to ignore, and then the cop is then the sheriff.
In 1990, Cripple Creek, the county seat, became one of three Colorado cities that allowed gaming. The introduction of gaming in Teller County had a noticeable impact. Along with increasing revenue, gaming brought more transient populations to the area—not just tourists, but also casino workers who commuted to work from neighboring counties. In fact, calls for police service increased by 300 percent, concentrated along Highway 24.
Some may believe that Teller County is slowly losing its isolated identity due to the various forms of urban interface. Whether it is the increasing numbers of homes built in the area, passers-by from Colorado Springs and other areas or the infamous Texas Seven, outside elements have contributed to what Teller County is today while exposing its citizens and members of law enforcement to its share of crisis and excitement.
Thinking back to when he was County Coroner, Fehn recalls several cases when crimes occurred outside of Teller County jurisdiction, but important evidence and sometimes bodies have been discovered in the county: “I remember three cases where the incident occurred elsewhere, and they brought the body here to dispose of it, but it never occurred that often” Fehn adds.
After
escaping from a prison near Kenedy, Texas, murdering a policeman and robbing
several stores, the Texas Seven came to Woodland Park to seek refuge in January
2001. They posed as a men’s traveling church group. Why they came to
Teller County will probably remain unknown. Fehn says, “That’s
something nobody can answer. [Teller County] is out of the way. Most people
mind their out of business, and it’s not abnormal for tourists to be
here.”
On January 22, 2001, the police were informed from several sources that the Texas Seven were in the Coachlight Motel and RV Park. Teller County police and the FBI surveyed the situation to determine the safest way to enter the park so that no innocent bystanders would be hurt. Three of the suspects got into a jeep and were arrested on Highway 24 at a local gas station, leaving Fehn and remaining units to deal with the two remaining men.
Instead of charging the criminals’ motor home, Fehn tried a “Trojan Horse” approach. Using his own motor home, Fehn drove up close to the fugitives’ RV with a few FBI agents hidden inside. The Texas escapees were in possession of police scanners and a lot of weaponry, so the officers had to focus on every detail, including changing the license plates on Fehn’s RV to help him to pass as an out-of-state tourist.
Once the perimeter was secure, they gave verbal commands to the fugitives. One surrendered while the other one remained inside:
“We continued to talk to Mr. Harper and depending where you were…some officers heard two shots and some heard one. I only heard one. Finally, the standoff ended when we found that Mr. Harper shot himself in the chest.”
The next day, the remaining two members of the Texas Sever were apprehended in a hotel in Colorado Springs. The dramatic escape and capture of the Texas Seven was covered nationally, and Fehn found himself in the limelight, being interviewed by national news networks.
I honestly preferred Fehn’s story to what my imagination dictated. He remained modest, saying, “I was just doing what I was paid for. We just made sure that everybody was a winner and made sure a John Wayne [type] did not come in and create a problem. And that’s why it was successful.”
Due to its location in Colorado, crimes and other issues that occur in Teller County require the cooperation not only within Teller County’s law enforcement departments, but cooperation is a must with various branches of law enforcement outside of Teller County. For instance, bringing the Texas Seven to justice required the involvement of Teller County, El Paso County, the F.B.I. and other law enforcement units.
According to Fehn, cooperation is an important item when several departments come together. It seems that everyone in the operation avoided the dramatic bureaucracy that we routinely see on every cop show and movie: “There was tremendous cooperation, and we set the ground rule there aren’t going to be any egos. It’s not this agency outdoing this agency. We did the best that we could to get this resolved.”
The Hayman Fire started on June 8, 2002 and ended when the fire was contained on July 2, 2002. Containing the fires also required cooperation from various counties since the blaze consumed 137,760 acres and burned through Park, Jefferson, Douglas and Teller Counties. In fact, six crew made up of 186 personnel from throughout the state were called in to the fight the fire.
Even though Fehn’s job was not to fight the fires, his job was just as important. Again, there were tremendous forms of cooperation, “We went on twelve-hour shifts through the whole crisis. Normal police work, the fire, loss assessment, and meetings with the public every night were all the duties we had to take care of” Fehn says.
At the meetings, people Fehn had to work with people frustrated over the situation. Sometimes, yelling matches even broke out at the meetings. Also, Fehn had to confront and prevent agitated citizens who wanted to go to their abandoned homes from going into hot areas.
It was a difficult situation for everyone: “We did what had to be done. We probably alienated some people, but I think the bulk of [citizens] told us that we did a good job.”
In the end, 110 houses were lost in the county and one third of Teller County was consumed, leaving over 1000 people were displaced for several weeks. The situation required Fehn and other law enforcement officers to be sensitive and deliver any unfortunate news to homeowners privately and in person: “We made arrangements with victim advocates and the Red Cross to take these people and then explain their loss privately.
Frank Fehn says he has no regrets about his career, “It’s been an interesting career. I enjoyed it, and I think I was successful because I was surrounded by good people. I probably will miss it, but it’s time to move on.” As for the future Fehn has no plans once his he is done with his involvement in the Texas Seven trials except for a vacation.