Meet the Sheriff

Reggie Marinelli was born and raised in Louisville, CO, where generations of her family landed after her grandfather immigrated to America from Italy and became a coal miner. Her other grandfather served our country as a paratrooper in World War II and then became a US Postal Service employee. Through her heritage and from a young age, Reggie learned respect for the United States and the American flag. She also learned she could accomplish anything she wanted through hard work and commitment.

In eighth grade, after a Boulder County detective fingerprintSheriff Reggie Marinellied her during a middle school class presentation, Reggie decided she wanted to become a sheriff’s deputy. And in 1986, she did just that – became a deputy for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Over three decades later, Reggie was still serving with the JCSO when she decided she should become the next sheriff of Jefferson County, and on November 8, 2022, the voters agreed. Reggie was sworn in on January 10, 2023 as the first female sheriff to serve the county and to lead the JCSO.

During her career, Reggie accomplished the following to advance the Sheriff’s Office:

  • Achieved the rank of sergeant and lieutenant
  • Served as commander of the West Metro Drug Task Force, supervising task force members from six local law enforcement agencies, managing the budget, writing policy, and working with local, state, and federal officials
  • Held a supervisory role in every division of the Sheriff’s Office, including Patrol, Detentions, Investigations, and Support Services
  • Served as a team leader and special events supervisor during the Democratic National Convention in Denver in 2008
  • Served on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Drug Investigator Association

As an instructor, Reggie taught in the law enforcement academy for more than 20 years. She also taught Decision Making for the JCSO leadership series, and developed curriculum and taught trainings on the Prison Rape Elimination Act, communication skills, and motivating change within others.

While supervising in the Detention Services Division, Reggie helped develop the Behavioral Health Unit to aid inmates with substance use and mental health issues, and she oversaw the Veteran’s Housing Unit, which supports former servicemen by providing a daily regimen, group therapy, re-entry assistance and more. For these two units, Reggie introduced Moral Reconation Therapy to increase moral reasoning and encourage social behavioral growth among the inmates. Also while serving in Detentions, Reggie managed the field training program and oversaw the unit that investigates gang activity in the jail.

These experiences, combined with her institutional knowledge of the JCSO, will aid Reggie in accomplishing her goals as Sheriff: to continue fiscal stewardship of lean governance and transparency; bolster recruitment efforts and enhance training opportunities for employees; strengthen partnerships and trust with county officials and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies; and expand evidence-based and/or alternative programming in the jail to help reduce recidivism and guide offenders toward a different path.  

When Reggie is not busy making Jefferson County a safe place for all people to live, learn, work, and play, she does a little playing herself. She and her husband Bart enjoy the company of their two dogs, visiting extended family, cooking delicious meals for friends, learning ballroom dancing, and participating in all that Jefferson County has to offer.