Open house for Sheriff LaMar Guymon

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

An open house was held for Emery County Sheriff LaMar Guymon on Dec. 10 at the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale. Many well wishers stopped by to visit and thank Sheriff Guymon for his 36 years of service as the Emery County Sheriff. His family and friends were on hand and many members of the community. Several awards and displays with pictures from his service filled the room at the museum.
As Sheriff Guymon leaves the office of sheriff he looked back at his time as sheriff and wishes to express his appreciation to everyone in Emery County for everything they have done for him.
“In this position I have been privileged to meet many people in our county and beyond. These people are from all different backgrounds and personalities. Every day has been a learning experience with some good and some bad. I am most grateful to have been able to be of service to people and those in need. Oftentimes the sheriff’s office has first contact with people who are in distress and need help. It’s been my privilege to be able to help people. Every day is a new day and nothing stays the same. We have been able to build the sheriff’s office through the dedication of hard working employees. When I first started there were two deputies along with myself. From there we have built the sheriff’s office to what it is today. Our education programs, ambulance service, detective division, drug task force, homeland security, haz-mat, inmate services and all departments within the office are all integral to what we are able to accomplish at the sheriff’s office. It has been a team effort through the years.
“Some of the hardest things I have had to deal with have been the tragedies in our county. The mine disasters in particular. There are accidents and personal tragedies, that we can’t do anything about. But, we are there to help and console in any way we can. It’s especially tough to see people suffer for their own actions and the actions of others for which they had no control. It’s hard to see people being taken advantage of by others, especially our older people with scams and things of that nature.
“During the mine disasters, law enforcement played a role. We worked with and watched over the families. Those situations are difficult because we feel so helpless as far as the actual mine rescue goes. We handle the traffic problems and the logistics, people control, press, etc. We tried to take good care of the families in these situations. We helped take care of the rescuers and their needs too, so they could concentrate on what they needed to do for the rescue.
“This job has been a blessing to me personally, but it has been a burden for my family. Things are better now that we have more employees, but for so many years, I missed a lot of my kids growing up. We could be ready to go somewhere and have the kids in the car, when I’d get a phone call. I would have to stay home to take care of a situation and they’d go without me. Everywhere we go we take two cars, because so often I have to leave because I am called out on something. They became used to it and it became our lifestyle, but I know it was hard on my wife Gayla and the children. If I could change anything it would be that. I would try harder not to let the job interfere so much with our family, but that’s the nature of this job. It becomes your life and it’s very consuming.
“This has been a learning experience and I’m going to miss that. I won’t miss the difficult people I have had to come in contact with at times. There are some people you just can’t please them no matter what you do. I didn’t mind the calls out in the middle of the night. I was happy to help out any way I could. I will miss the good people and the opportunity I have had to serve.
“I will miss the deputies, support staff, sergeants and the people who work at the sheriff’s office. I will miss the guys a lot.
“I’ve had several job offers and opportunities, but they are out of town and I would like to stay here in Emery County. I do have plans and something I have wanted to do for years is take people on tours of the desert and other attractions in Emery County. We really have an awesome place to live here and I want to help people experience Emery County. I plan to stay busy and will be involved with the Emery County Travel Bureau, Castleview Hospital board, historical preservation commission and the Emery County Business Chamber.
“I am leaving this phase of my life and moving onto the next phase. I have a good deal of experience and I would like to share this knowledge with others. I want to thank everyone for their support and friendship in my years as sheriff,” said Sheriff Guymon.