Washakie County Sheriff's Office

06/10/2026

Please pray for Sgt Burns, his family, and the Carbon County Sheriff's Office.

- Sheriff Brookwell

PRESS RELEASE: OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING UPDATE: SERGEANT ZACH BURNS

DATE: 06102026

On Monday, June 8th, 2026, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office received a call for a man with a gun in Baggs, Wyoming, near the Colorado state line.

Sergeant Zach Burns was in the area and responded immediately. Dispatchers relayed the suspect vehicle information to Sergeant Burns.

Sergeant Burns located the suspect vehicle and initiated a traffic stop in front of a small apartment complex in Baggs.

Upon coming to a stop, the suspect immediately exited his vehicle and opened fire on Sergeant Burns with a semi-automatic rifle. Sergeant Burns was struck in the neck, arm, and hip.

The suspect proceeded to set fire to the apartment building before getting back in his vehicle and fleeing northbound on Highway 789.

Residents of Baggs immediately rushed to provide aid to Sergeant Burns until EMS crews could arrive, providing cover and emergency wound treatment.

Sergeant Burns was transported via helicopter to a trauma center in Colorado where he remains in critical condition.

The suspect was killed in a shootout with Carbon County Deputies on Highway 789 after fleeing the scene. This investigation is ongoing and being conducted by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

Our hearts are with Sergeant Burns and his family, as well as all of our deputies, troopers, Baggs residents, and partner agencies who assisted.

Please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you.

-Alex

*For information regarding this incident, please check this page for updates as they become available.

05/24/2026

*** Important Information from the City of Worland ***

Please read the post below.

-Sheriff Brookwell

05/13/2026

Today, several members of the Washakie County Sheriff's Office had the privilege of participating in a Custody and Control seminar led by the legendary Rafael Lovato Sr.

It was a tremendous honor to have Mr. Lovato instruct our deputies. His decades of experience and passion for teaching provided valuable techniques and insights that will help our deputies continue to improve their skills and enhance their ability to safely and effectively serve our community.

We were also pleased to extend an invitation to the Hot Springs County Sheriff's Office, and several of their deputies joined us for the seminar. Opportunities like this strengthen the relationships between our agencies.

Thank you to Rafael Lovato Sr. for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. Thank you to Justin, Mike, and Brian with The Worland BJJ Gym for assisting with the seminar.

Also a thank you to all of the deputies who attended and dedicated their day to continued training and professional development.

-Sheriff Brookwell

05/11/2026

National Police Week (May 10th - May 16th 2026)

During National Police Week, I would like to recognize and thank the patrol deputies of the Washakie County Sheriff’s Office for their dedication and service to the citizens of Washakie County.

Our patrol deputies are on duty day and night, responding to emergencies, investigating crimes, assisting motorists, and answering calls for service throughout the county. They work weekends, holidays, and long hours away from their families to help ensure our community remains safe.

These men and women are often called to handle difficult and dangerous situations, and they do so with professionalism, integrity, and compassion. I am incredibly proud of the work they do and the commitment they show to serving others.

I would also like to thank our law enforcement partners at the Worland Police Department, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Bureau of Land Management Rangers, and United States Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers. We are fortunate to work alongside such dedicated professionals in service to our communities and public lands.

During this week, we also remember the law enforcement officers across our nation who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Please join me in thanking our patrol deputies and all law enforcement officers for their continued dedication and service.

Our Patrol Deputies are:

Captain Chris Hazen
Deputy Jon West
Deputy Colleen McClain
Deputy Chad Carlton
Deputy Jeff Neal
Deputy Ken Blosser
Deputy Mike Stauffer

-Sheriff Brookwell

05/06/2026

Go work with a great group of volunteers and make a difference!

-Sheriff Brookwell

🚨 We Need You, Worland! 🚨

The Worland Volunteer Fire Department is looking for dedicated volunteers to join our team. No experience? No problem — we provide the training.

Serve your community, build lifelong skills, and make a real difference when it matters most.

📞 Interested? Shoot us a message, ask a current firefightet or stop by the station to learn more.

Be the one who answers the call. 🔥

05/04/2026

National Correctional Officers Week

This week, we recognize and thank the men and women who serve as Detention Deputies at the Washakie County Sheriff’s Office.

Working in a detention facility is one of the most challenging and often overlooked roles in law enforcement. Our Detention Deputies are responsible for maintaining safety, order, and professionalism inside the jail, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They manage difficult situations, interact with individuals during some of the lowest points in their lives, and do it all with a level of patience and professionalism that deserves recognition.

Their work is critical not only to the Sheriff’s Office, but to the entire justice system and the safety of our community.

To our Detention Deputies, thank you for your hard work, your dedication, and the role you play every day. Your efforts do not go unnoticed.

Our Detention Deputies are:

Sgt. Bradley Munn
Deputy Tiffany Burgess
Deputy Nick Konkowski
Deputy Eric Sackett
Deputy Sarai Matamoros

-Sheriff Brookwell

04/26/2026

***SCAM ALERT***

If you are receiving the attached photo it is a scam. Please do not scan the QR Code. I have had multiple people reach out to me with this now and all of them look the same. Also if you look at the seal at the top of the page it is not our proper state seal.

-Sheriff Brookwell

04/24/2026

***FYI***

Highway 16 is back open to Buffalo.

-Sheriff Brookwell

04/24/2026

***FYI***

Highway 16 from Ten Sleep to Buffalo is closed per WYDOT.

-Sheriff Brookwell

04/23/2026

Thank you to Kami for putting this together. This is a great way to show the data and what we’re likely facing this summer with fire conditions and drought.

Please be cautious with any open burning. Conditions are already extremely dry, and our volunteer firefighters are going to be very busy.
We appreciate everyone doing their part to help keep our county safe.

- Sheriff Brookwell

To help paint the picture of how dry conditions are this year, here is a graph of the Powder River Pass Snotel site. The black line represents 2026.

Typically, the median peak snowpack at this site occurs around April 19. This year, however, peak snowpack occurred a month earlier - on March 18.

Since April 7, snow water equivalent has been at record low levels, and as of April 22, the site is completely snow-free. Typically, meltout occurs around May 29.

Additional SNOTEL information can be found at wisp.wyo.gov/snow