The revelation that a 17-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted inside the home of Ouray’s police chief ignited a turbulent 2024 for the police department, a year that witnessed multiple internal investigations, the erosion of many residents’ confidence in the department and the termination of the police chief.

Heading into 2025, the department is still without a permanent leader, and many of the problems identified in an audit conducted by a retired police chief remain unaddressed.

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