WHEATLAND — The Platte County Republican Party on Monday nominated three finalists to become the county’s next sheriff.
Guernsey Police Chief Jay Harrison, Platte County Emergency Management Coordinator Tony Krotz and former law enforcement officer Curtis Hofrock will each go before the Platte County Commissioners.
The commission will choose one of them to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of former Platte County Sheriff David Russell.
The finalists distinguished themselves from a crowd of eight applicants, each with a wide range of law enforcement backgrounds.
State Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, led the county GOP event and applauded each of the eight for being courageous enough to seek an appointment as sheriff.
“I love the fact that we had eight individuals that put their name in the hat and are willing to be a part of this process,” he told Cowboy State Daily at the event.
Haroldson was responsible for proctoring the event and asking each applicant a series of prepared questions about their approach to the position. Each applicant had two minutes to introduce himself, five minutes to answer questions and three minutes for closing remarks.
Russell announced his resignation from the position in August. He had originally accepted the role in 2022 at the age of 31.
Because Russell is a Republican, the Platte County Republican Party was responsible for selecting his replacement.
Jay Harrison
Harrison, who arrived wearing his Guernsey police chief uniform, earned the most votes from the county committee members — 16.
During his time speaking, Harrison described his leadership strengths as being centered around mentorship and development of his fellow officers. He also proposed offering more incentives to county officers to compete with more lucrative police positions in other counties.
“I know how to beg and borrow,” he said regarding the department’s budget. “If we don’t have the money for equipment, I go out and find it. I always find a way to get things done.”
Harrison also touted his physical fitness regimen that keeps him in shape in his 60s, and highlighted this as a key reason why the department should employ fitness standards. He also explained having taken a 50% pay cut to become Guernsey police chief so he could stay in the community he loves.
Harrison told Cowboy State Daily he hopes to use the position to improve Platte County’s law enforcement standards.
“The reason I went for this is I felt that I could do a lot of good for the county, for the people here as well as in Gurnsey,” he said. “My belief in everything is God puts me where he wants me.”
Tony Krotz
Krotz, who served as a police officer in both Nebraska and Wyoming, received the second most votes at 15.
He thanked those in attendance for taking part in the democratic process, adding that some community members had told him, “I’m dumb to do this” given his current stable job.
Despite this, Krotz touted his “servant’s heart,” and status as a political outsider as reasons to select him for sheriff.
“I am not a politician, I am not a talker,” he said.
Krotz detailed his management style as loyal, saying he would “follow you to the gates of hell.” He also said his recruitment would focus on finding officers who feel compelled to “do the right thing.”
“The term Big Brother gets thrown out a lot,” he said. “I think of a Big Brother as my big brother. If somebody came and messed with me, they’d have to deal with my big brother.”
Krotz told Cowboy State Daily he was shocked to be selected to advance but said he feels at ease having repeatedly spoken at county commission meetings.
“If it’s meant to be, you know?” he said of his attitude. “Kind of put this in a higher power, higher hands. If I’m meant to be the sheriff, I’m meant to be the sheriff. If not, I’m more than happy to serve and I can.”
Curtis Hofrock
Hofrock, who served as a police sergeant in Sidney, Nebraska, placed third with 14 votes.
He opened by disclosing to the audience that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013 but has managed the disease well in the years since.
Hofrock expressed concerns with the direction of Platte County Sheriff’s department and said he would personally see to correcting them as sheriff.
“You can continue to complain or you can step up and try to be part of the solution to the problem,” he said.
He described himself as taking a laissez-faire approach toward management, saying he hopes to “hire good people, give them good equipment and let them do their jobs.”
Hofrock mentioned having pioneered a young cadets’ program for 18- to 21-year-olds and said he would direct department recruiting toward college-aged criminal justice majors.
Hofrock told Cowboy State Daily he is relying on his faith to help guide him through the remaining process.
“I put that in God’s hands a long time ago when I made the decision to put my name in the hat,” he said. “And I know God’s going to put me where he needs me to do the best for this community.”
Goodbye, Sheriff
Russell was at first silent about his reasons for leaving the post, but wrote in a September statement to the Platte County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page that the decision was “in the best interests of my mental health and family.”
He described an unhealthy and compulsive relationship with his work that took from his family, and wrote that he’s now pursuing his PhD, “likely in education.”
The office has seen its share of turmoil in recent years, including a lawsuit stemming from before Russell was sheriff, that ended this year with a $250,000 settlement for a man who suffered a brain injury in the county’s jail.
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office has also been investigating a March incident in which local Air Force members shot and injured a cellphone tower worker while practicing with targets. That was the first in a string of at least five harmful or violent incidents tied to the F.E. Warren Air Force base this year.
Current Events
Haroldson, who was not eligible to vote due to not being a county committeeman, told Cowboy State Daily he was encouraged by all the candidates’ answers.
“So far I believe that as we’ve listened to these candidates speak, one of the things that I saw is kind of an overwhelming sentiment that they truly do love Platte County and want to see the best for the Platte County Sheriff’s Department,” he said.
During the voting process, Haroldson addressed the crowd about the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its impacts on Wyoming, on which he said he had recently attended a training.
“I think that we need to know one of the biggest things that Wyoming will receive $500 million dollars for rural health care,” he said. We’ve got a desert in Wyoming. We have it here in Platte County.”
He also addressed the ongoing federal government shutdown, saying it is beginning to impact the budget for mineral energy developments across the state.
“We’ve got a war on fossil fuels from a left-leaning agenda D.C. office, right?” he asked. “We’re seeing less and less money coming into a system.”
“We are at a point where this county in a lot of ways has to do way more with way less,” he added.
Jackson Walker can be reached at walker@cowboystatedaily.com.
