The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office released a press statement announcing the passing of Deputy Jeffrey Walton, a 30-year veteran of the department, life-long member of the community, community servant, grandfather, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend.

Deputy Walton passed away in the evening hours of July 3.

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The release stated that in Walton’s 40-year career in public service he served in a range of different positions; he started his career at the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office as a Detention Deputy in 1982, eventually rising through the ranks to Lieutenant/Jail Administrator.

Deputy Walton also worked as patrol deputy, court security deputy, evidence custodian, and dispatcher.

Walton retired from the Sheriff’s Office in 2015 and started working as a Code Enforcement officer with the City of Rawlins. In 2020, Walton shifted back to the Sheriff’s Office to serve as Court Security Deputy.

The Carbon County Sherriff’s Department said:

“The law enforcement profession is an exceptionally rewarding career. It is also an unfortunate truth that law enforcement professionals are expected, by the very communities they serve, to respond to experiences and events, which normal citizens would rarely, or ever be forced to endure. We ask our staff to undergo these traumatic events, over and over throughout their entire career. These burdens are tangible; they impact our staff, their families and loved ones, and each employee at the office.”

During his years of service to our community, like all law enforcement officers, Deputy Walton had experienced a wide variety of both positive and negative events with citizens, victims, and suspects alike. Although all of our deputies are trained professionals, they are first and foremost humans. The stoic emotions we steadfastly maintain while on duty often crumble when we return to our homes and loved ones.

Though our hearts are broken, we choose to acknowledge the difficult nature of the profession to which Deputy Walton had with his larger-than-life personality by diligently dedicating himself to this career.

Yet, such service to community comes at a cost, often times at a heavy personal cost, all too frequently those costs can be extremely steep.”

Plans for services will be announced in the next few days.

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