Carson City Sheriff's Office celebrates promotions and says goodbye to one of its own

It was a full house at the Carson City Sheriff's Office on Thursday afternoon with every seat in the Ormsby Room filled to celebrate promotions and retirement.

Carson City Sheriff's Office Captain Brian Humphrey was celebrated by the community and his team at the Sheriff's Office as he said goodbye and welcomed in retirement. Humphrey served for many years in the investigations division and worked closely with several furry and focused K-9 Officers throughout his career. After completing the FBI National Academy in 2016 he was promoted to Captain.

"Brian has been with us for almost 30 years," said Sheriff Ken Furlong. "He has become an icon in this community, of what a law enforcement officer should be, of what a dad and a husband should be. He has a phenomenal character. He started off as a dispatcher here in 1991 and worked his way through the ranks. He's done everything this department has to offer."

Daniel Gonzales was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant at the promotion ceremony. Lt. Gonzales has spent his career protecting the community while also being an active part in it. Gonzales is the president of Holiday with a Hero, in which local children and first responders are paired up near the holiday season to take part in a shopping spree. He currently heads the investigations division for the Carson City Sheriff's Office.

"This is where the hard decisions come in," said Furlong. "Because as a manager, you control an enormous amount of responsibility. Not only to the Investigations Division, not just to the Special Enforcement Division, but to the community as a whole. There's a responsibility to make sure we are the most efficient operation that we can be and that we are not wasteful in the decisions we make. Managers are there to manage, to supervise, and to lead, and Danny has done a tremendous job stepping into the role and has done an outstanding job carrying the reigns of the Investigations Division. I could not be more appreciative or more proud."

The Sheriff's Office also promoted Steve Olson to the rank of Sargent Thursday who is a detective with the Investigations Division.

"The oath of the office is to the community, to your peers and your family. It is a very demanding occupation and only the best get selected to lead. I'm very, very proud of everything (Sgt. Olson) has done for this organization over the years. The foundation of a law enforcement officer does not begin in the street, it begins in their own actions. Ensuring he has all of the capabilities, traits and understanding to carry out this job."

Sheriff Ken Furlong spoke on the importance of being available to the community and to rebuild trust with residents.

"I'm asking today that all our patrols take the time during their shift, get out of that police car and walk a block," said Furlong. "Every shift. Take the time to start destroying negativity and rebuilding trust and confidence within this community. We have seen what can happen 2,000 miles from here can devastate the trust and respect in a community. So we look for new leaders, new leadership, new ideas that can forge us through this challenging period and come out brighter at the end."

Furlong went on to say that the Sheriff's Office is listening to the public and will be making changes within the organization.

"Trust me when I say we don't have all of the answers," said Furlong. "I must listen to (the public). Listening is an art. We are changing practices here in this organization, we are changing policies, because we're not always right. We want to listen and we want to make this organization stronger and better than ever."

Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell was in attendance, and Sheriff Furlong said he and the mayor had discussed the state of the community and shared some of the take aways from their conversation.

"Last week, we discussed that it is time for all of us to stand up," said Furlong. "Wear masks. Be aware of each other. Be careful. We cannot let our individual desires overcome us. We ask all of our people to take that extra effort. Put a mask on, walk your neighborhood, go into a business and say hello. The people of this community truly do deserve every bit of respect that we can provide them. Each of us has a different level of fear, of anxiety and stress. Please be respectful of that when you go to church, go shopping, or go see the band put on by the Brewery Arts Center."

Photo Caption:
From left, newly promoted Sgt. Steve Olson and Lt. Daniel Gonzales and retiring Capt. Brian Humphrey are honored at a ceremony at Carson City Sheriff’s Office, in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, July 2, 2020.
Photo by Cathleen Allison