County’s “Head Cop” Position Up For Grabs
Trevor Phipps
The contest to replace Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell (who can’t seek the position again due to term limits) is underway, with a top agency commander throwing his hat into the ring.
After months of speculation, Commander Kevin Tedesco, a Republican, has officially entered the race for Teller’s head law enforcement position. He will start the process of campaigning for the preliminary GOP contests, capped by the 2026 party caucuses, assemblies and primary races. Although the actual seat won’t be determined until the Nov. 2026 general election, the race will most likely be decided at the GOP primary level next summer due to the predominance of the Republican Party.
During a meeting of the Teller County Republican Central Committee on June 10, Teller Sheriff Commander Kevin Tedesco formerly announced that he will be seeking the sheriff position in the 2026 election. Tedesco is currently a commander with the Teller County Sheriff’s Office and is in charge of the Teller County Jail and the agency’s emergency management division. According to most accounts, he has now been elevated to the front-runner spot in the race. This sheriff position is one of a slew of county seats that are up for grabs next year.
In an interview with TMJ, Tedesco said that after serving with the sheriff’s office since 2018, he has seen what the current sheriff has accomplished and wants to continue his legacy. “In 20 years of law enforcement, I have seen what works with sheriff’s offices and I have seen what doesn’t work in both agencies I have worked for,” Tedesco said. “I know what the community needs here. And I know where sheriff’s offices and law enforcement agencies have generally struggled in the past. I am committed to not repeating those same mistakes. And I have seen what has allowed us to have a lot of progression and future here and I want to continue that. The Teller County Sheriff’s Office is in a position now where we have a better and more positive interaction with our community than we ever have had from what I’ve seen. And I want to make sure to continue that progress.”
He said that he has experienced how the roles and responsibilities of sheriff have changed. Tedesco believe that it is now part of the sheriff’s duties to help preserve Teller County’ unique way of life, which is different from other counties in the state.
Tedesco said he heavily believes in all rights guaranteed to citizens in the Constitution. Moreover, he is ready to fight for those rights. “We are heavily influenced and affected by state legislation,” Tedesco said. “And we (as a sheriff’s office and as a sheriff), have to stand against a lot of these effects and impacts that come up in Denver and other areas that negatively affect our way of life. I am committed to the preservation of our way of life which is inherently valuable to the community here.”
Tedesco started his career in the U.S. Army as an infantryman. He did a combat tour in Iraq in 2003. When he returned to the United States, he made the decision to retire from the army and start a law enforcement career.
He initially worked for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office until 2018. He then started working for the Teller County Sheriff’s Office. Altogether, Tedesco sports 21 years of law enforcement experience. He has worked as a detentions’ deputy, a patrol deputy, special operations, a patrol sergeant, a detective and a detective supervisor.
For the last few years, he has headed the county’s free enterprise jail (which runs similar to a private business) and is in charge of the emergency management department. “In order to be a good, effective sheriff, you have to have a great working understand of emergency management,” Tedesco said. “Without that background, it’s challenging to fill the role as sheriff.”
No Major Changes Proposed
Tedesco said that he decided he wanted to run for sheriff once he saw the way the community interacts with law enforcement. “I didn’t see the disconnect between law enforcement and the community that I have seen in some other places, other jurisdictions and other agencies,” Tedesco said. “This is a great opportunity to take that forward. And me being a guy that has already been behind of a lot of what we have been doing, this is my chance to carry it forward.”
Overall, Tedesco believes that since he already holds a leadership role within the sheriff’s office, he is the best candidate for the job to continue the principles set forward by Mikesell. He noted that he has a solid network of mentors and support. As a result, he contends this will make the transition from one administration to another as quite smooth, with no drastic changes.
“Law enforcement is not a powerful position, nor is it a position of authority, but it is a position of responsibility,” Tedesco said. “And once we start looking at law enforcement as a responsibility, a dutiful responsibility, we will be far more effective. And we will be able to provide a greater quality level of service for our constituents and our community.”
