It was only a month in the past Colorado bid farewell to one more fallen hero in regulation enforcement who made the final word sacrifice within the line of responsibility. Andrew Peery, a SWAT officer with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Workplace, was responding to a reported capturing within the Safety/Widefield space simply south of Colorado Springs on Aug. 7 — and wound up giving his life.
This previous weekend, it was a younger Arvada police officer who gave all — the second cop to take action up to now two years within the northwest metro Denver suburb. Officer Dillon Vakoff, 27, had served his nation and group all through his life, as The Gazette reported Sunday.
Vakoff joined the Air Drive after graduating from Arvada’s Ralston Valley Excessive College in 2012. He spent six years within the service and earned the rank of employees sergeant. In 2019, he joined the Arvada Police Division and was coaching to grow to be a SWAT officer.
On Sunday, Vakoff and different officers responded to what police have stated was a big and chaotic household disturbance outdoor. The officers who arrived on the scene tried to separate “belligerent and uncooperative people,” police stated. Then, somebody opened fireplace. One lady on the scene was shot along with Vakoff. Within the trade of gunfire, the particular person believed to have fired at Vakoff additionally was shot. He was taken to a hospital and was anticipated to outlive. The wounded lady additionally was anticipated to outlive.
On Monday, Arvada police arrested Sonny Thomas Almanza, 31, of Arvada, on suspicion of capturing Vakoff. Almanza was being held on suspicion of first-degree homicide of a peace officer with excessive indifference; homicide after deliberation; unlawful possession of a weapon by a earlier offender; youngster abuse, and different counts.
The general public, in the meantime, is mourning Vakoff.
“He was an instance of every thing good a couple of police officer,” Arvada Police Chief Hyperlink Strate advised reporters Sunday morning at a information convention. “His service and sacrifice won’t be forgotten.”
There was an outpouring of grief, sympathy, assist and prayers on social media. A publish from the Arvada Police Division took notice of greater than 700 feedback.
Simply final yr in June, Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley was killed whereas responding to a shooter within the metropolis’s Olde City in June 2021.
This previous Could members of regulation enforcement and others gathered on the Colorado Regulation Enforcement Memorial in Golden to acknowledge 17 fallen regulation officers. 9 had been killed within the line of responsibility in 2021 alone. They included Beesley Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, who was killed final yr in March as he intervened in a mass capturing at a Boulder grocery retailer.
Since then, Andrew Peery and now Dillon Vakoff have joined them.
It’s a horrible tally in addition to a grim and heart-rending reminder of the debt of gratitude all of us owe Colorado’s regulation officers. We will take consolation realizing that 1000’s of regulation officers throughout Colorado are on the job watching out for us as we go about our each day lives.
Our prayers and condolences exit to Vakoff’s family members. We’re grateful for all of the regulation officers throughout Colorado who serve valiantly as Vakoff did, ever able to danger their lives to guard us all. Those that want to make donations in honor of Vakoff can accomplish that by the Colorado Fallen Hero Basis.
Denver Gazette Editorial Board