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News briefs: New law enforcement added to Grand County police departments

Familiar faces join local police departments

There are some new faces patrolling the highways and byways of Grand County this month after three new law enforcement officers were brought on in Middle Park.

Over the past several weeks three of the four local law enforcement agencies in Grand County have welcomed new officers to their departments. The Fraser/Winter Park Police Department, the Granby Police Department, and the Grand County Sheriff’s Office have each hired one new officer since the start of March.



While the three men may be new to their respective departments they are familiar faces in Grand County with deep roots to the communities they protect, including graduating from high school in Grand County. All three new hires are seasoned law officers who come to Grand County with multiple years of experience behind the badge.

In early March the Fraser/Winter Park PD brought Paul Finley on to help with policing duties in the southeast corner of the County. Finley’s first day on the job was March 8. Before joining the Fraser/Winter Park department Finley spent six-and-a-half-years working with the Westminster Police Department and prior to that was a deputy with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.



Finley’s family moved to Grand County while he was still attending high school and continues to live in the Middle Park area. Finley’s mother, Mona Finley, is an Administrative Lieutenant with the Grand County Sheriff’s Office and his dad works for the Town of Granby’s Street Department.

Further up the valley the Granby PD welcomed new officer Andrew Sidener to the department on April 1. Prior to joining the Granby PD Sidener spent four-years as a police officer with the Parachute Police Department on the I-70 corridor.

Officer Sidener is the son of Lyle Sidener, Area Wildlife Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife out of the Hot Sulphur Springs office. Sidener’s mother, Amy Sidener, is the head of Grand County’s Department of Natural Resources.

The Grand County Sheriff’s Office welcomed new deputy Aaron Trainor to the department on April 3. Trainor’s name will be familiar to anyone who has lived in Grand County for very long. Trainor’s father, Glen Trainor, is the Chief of the Fraser/Winter Park PD and former Undersheriff for the Grand County Sheriff’s Office. Trainor’s mother, Robin Trainor, is a Granby Town Trustee and is a Compliance Officer for Grand County EMS. Trainor joins the Sheriff’s Department after a three-year stint working as an officer with the Frisco Police Department.

Greg Gutierrez joins East Grand Community Clinic

Grand County has a new healthcare provider.

On Monday April 10 the Denver Health Medical Center issued a press release announcing Dr. Greg Gutierrez is now a full-time provider at Winter Park Resort’s East Grand Community Clinic and Emergency Center earlier in the season.

According to the press release, Dr. Gutierrez “brings expertise in primary care, including acute and chronic injuries, arthritis and physical therapy prescription; emergency service and more than 20 years of experience practicing sports medicine.

“I am a people person,” Dr. Gutierrez said. “I always have been. I entered the medical field because I love the human interaction; working with and helping people on a daily basis. That’s important to me.”

Gutierrez has been with Denver Health since 1998 and has past experience working in private practice. Dr. Gutierrez is a volunteer physician with the U.S. Olympic Committee. Gutierrez is a member of both the American Academy of Family Practice and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.

Gutierrez noted the unique location of the East Grand Community Clinic and the opportunities for care it provides. “Because of our location, we are able to provide better continuity to patients, from injury through rehab. This is beneficial both for us and for patients,” Dr. Gutierrez said. “We get to know the community members and employees here at Winter Park Resort really well and we can provide acute care, but also the vital primary care and sports medicine services that follow.”

Dr. Gutierrez attended the University of California Irvine School of Medicine and Loyola Marymount University. He completed his residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver and obtained his Certification of Added Qualification in Sports Medicine I 2005. Gutierrez is an Associate Profession in the Family Medicine Department at the University of Colorado.

Panther sports back in action

With Spring Break in the rear view mirror the athletes of Middle Park High School are back at it again this week.

Things got underway Monday with spring sports pictures. The Middle Park High School baseball squad took the to diamond Tuesday afternoon in Denver against the Denver Science & Tech Stapleton Knights. That game started at 3 p.m., after press-time for the Wednesday edition of the Sky-Hi News. Look for results from that game in the Friday April 14 edition.

After their game against the Knights the Panther men will stay in Granby for their first home game of the season at 3:30 p.m. Thursday April 13. The Panthers will face off against the Clear Creek Golddiggers. The Panthers will return to Middle Park High for their second home game of the season this Saturday, April 15, as they compete against the Jefferson Saints in a morning matchup in Granby. Action starts at 10 a.m.

The Middle Park ladies soccer team will also take to the field this week. The girls of East Grand will take the pitch in Westminster Wednesday afternoon as they take on The Academy Wildcats. Look for results from that game, also in our Friday edition.

The ladies will also be competing in Middle Park this Saturday as they take on the Federal Heights based The Pinnacle Timberwolves. That game starts at 11 a.m. and will provide Panther sports fans with an opportunity to catch both the boys baseball game and the girls soccer game on the same morning.

The Panther Track and Field team is also preparing for a Saturday track meet. The runners, jumpers and throwers of Middle Park will head to the high plains for the Max Marr Spartan Classic beginning 9 a.m. Saturday April 15 in the town of Berthoud, just south of Loveland.


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