As a student at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy, Aaron Appelhans used to look at the photos of past graduating classes hanging on the wall.
A decade later, Appelhans was appointed Wyoming's first Black sheriff, a post he took months after fury over racist policing roiled U.S. cities. His turf includes one of Wyoming's last Democratic strongholds, but the state is overwhelmingly conservative and white, and he's already faced a racist remark from a lawmaker.
It didn't surprise him. Wyoming has made progress but remains “very racist," said Stephen Latham, president of the state NAACP.
Like other parts of the country struggling with police violence, a deputy's fatal shooting of an unarmed, mentally ill man played a major role in Appelhans’ appointment to Albany County sheriff. The death of 39-year-old Robbie Ramirez during a traffic stop two years ago stoked fierce backlash that carried over into last summer's protests over racial injustice and police brutality.
“We've got ‘cops’ as a nickname," Appelhans said. "We're not ‘cops.’ I'm listed, just like every other deputy here is listed, as a peace officer. We're here to keep the peace. And so that's really kind of one of the big changes I've wanted to have law enforcement focus on.”
His work with the university force to try to reduce crimes like sexual assault was encouraging, said Provenza, the lawmaker who helped local Democrats vet sheriff applicants.
“There's a lot of opportunity for the sheriff's office to grow and kind of change and evolve into something this community will feel safer working with," Provenza said.
Appelhans' leadership training and experience as a detective and in crime prevention point to “likely success” as sheriff, University of Wyoming Police Chief Mike Samp said.
O'Malley, however, said Democrats didn't put forth anybody qualified for sheriff. Reached in Florida where he lives now, O'Malley said, “I think he’s in way over his head, but, you know, that remains to be seen.”
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