Routt County Sheriff says federal officers have jurisdiction over Rainbow Gathering

June 26, 2022 Shannon Lukens

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By Shannon Lukens.

The Routt County Sheriff’s Office is helping federal law enforcement officers up at the Rainbow Gathering. About 1,700 people are estimated to be up in northwest Routt County already, preparing for the gathering July 1-7.

Routt County Sheriff Garrett Wiggins says he is sending four officers up there a day, funded through an agreement with the US Forest Service. Some officers are from Routt County or from neighboring counties, such as Grand County, thanks to help from the State Sheriff’s Association. Sheriff Wiggins says that’s not all.

“Local ranchers in the area up there want our presence up there and they have lodging facilities, so they are donating lodging facilities for all the deputies that are coming from around the state to help us out.”

Sheriff Wiggins says the Routt County Sheriff’s Office does not have jurisdiction on federal land which is where the Rainbow Gathering is happening. That’s the US Forest Service officers. He said they only have jurisdiction on Routt County Road 80 which runs through the national forest.

“We are actively enforcing state and local laws and the federal government is enforcing federal laws where they have the jurisdiction.”

Sheriff Wiggins says they are especially aware of things like illegal drugs or firearms this year.

“It’s not unusual for this group to have drugs and firearms. In the last few years, firearms have become more and more popular at this event. But we are actively working to try and mitigate for the influx of illegal drugs and firearms coming into our county.”

Full Interviews with Sheriff Garrett Wiggins:

“In addition to the forest service stepping up the plate and increasing our funding through our forest service agreement, local ranchers in the area up there want our presence up there and they have lodging facilities, so they are donating lodging facilities for all the deputies that are coming from around the state to help us out. So that helps reduce the cost to either the forest service or either the Routt County Sheriff’s Office budget because that lodging is paid.”