Law Enforcement Info | San Juan County Colorado

Concealed Handgun Permits

CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMIT INFORMATION
An application for a concealed handgun permit can be obtained at the San Juan County Sheriff's Office. The documents must be read thoroughly, and the application printed or typed and completed in full. Please use additional sheets of paper if necessary to respond to the questions. If the application is not fully completed, it cannot be processed. Upon completion, please call the number below to schedule an appointment to process your application. Your appointment will take approximately 15 minutes. You will have your application processed, photo and signature taken, and you will be fingerprinted at that time:

San Juan County Sheriff's Office
1557 Greene St. P.O. Box 178
Silverton, CO 81433
(970) 387-5531

Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) Reciprocity | Colorado Bureau of Investigation

ATV's and Motorcycles

It is illegal to ride OHV's within the Town of Silverton.

San Juan County has designated various routes in the county and on the Alpine Loop for OHV use. Riders must be 16 years of age and have a valid driver's license. All OHV's must carry liability insurance and be able to provide proof of that insurance. A map of the designated routes for these vehicles can be obtained from the San Juan County Sheriff's Office or the Silverton Chamber of Commerce and other locations. The map is also on line at this website on the ATV regulations and map button. All OHV,s must have a Colorado OHV sticker.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife - Snowmobile Registration (state.co.us)

Snowmobiles

Snowmobiles can be ridden in the Town of Silverton in the winter. All operators shall be 16 years of age or older and have a valid driver's license from their state of residency. Anyone whose drivers license is under suspension or revocation cannot drive a snowmobile on town streets. A minor operator of a snowmobile may operate a snowmobile on the streets and alleys of town if the operator is 14 years of age, has a valid snowmobile safety certificate issued by a recognized association or organization and has a parent or guardian present and supervising the operation of the snowmobile. All snowmobiles must have a red or orange safety flag attached to rod of at least 6 ft. in length attached to the back of the snowmobile, perpendicular to the ground. All traffic laws must be obeyed include the 15 mph speed limit on the side streets of Silverton. Snowmobiles shall have headlights and taillights on at all times the snowmobile is in operation. All snowmobiles must have a Colorado State Parks registration sticker. Snowmobiles can be operated between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Snowmobiles are not allowed on Greene St. except to cross at intersections. Ride Safely!

Lightning Safety

LIGHTNING - THE UNDERRATED KILLER

By definition, thunderstorms contain lightning. There are more than 40 million lightning strikes every year in the Untied States, bringing nearly 90 fatalities. In Colorado, lightning is the number one life threatening weather hazard. In the the past 10 years there have been an average of 3 fatalities and 15 injuries reported each year from lightning. The toll may be worse, as recent studies have shown that many lightning accidents are not reported.

Lightning heats the surrounding gases in the air to around 50,000 degrees!! This causes a rapid expansion of the air which produces thunder. A single lightning strike also contains an enormous amount of electricity, enough to supply power to several homes for a month. The heat and electricity pose the greatest risk to the individual. Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are caught outdoors. Lightning also causes many grassland and forest fires in Colorado.

KEEP YOURSELF SAFE FROM LIGHTNING

Stay alert for fast-changing weather conditions. It does not have to be raining where you are for lightning to be a threat. Many people are struck before the rain begins or after it ends at their location.

Use the "flash to bang" technique. Sound travels about one mile every 5 seconds. When you see the lightning, count the seconds until you hear thunder. If 5 seconds elapse, the thunderstorm is one mile away, 10 seconds equals two miles, 15 seconds means the lightning bolt was three miles away.

What is a "safe" distance from lightning? There is no absolute rule, but consider taking prompt, protective action if lightning is occurring within five miles of your location. Be aware that lightning can strike the ground ten or more miles away from the thunderstorm with blue sky above! Avoid being the tallest object, and stay away from other tall objects, such as a small group of tall trees. Get off ATV's, motorcycles or other open vehicles. A hard top car with the windows shut is relatively safe. When hiking in the mountains, go early in the day, before thunderstorms develop. If caught in the mountains during a lightning storm, go into a cave or canyon, or below tree line in a large group of small trees. With a thunderstorm near or on top of you, get away from metal objects. Drop backpacks. Remember: metal is a very good conductor of electricity!

Lightning may be about to strike nearby if you feel your hair stand on end or you feel your skin tingle. Crouch down on the balls of your feet and put your hands over your ears. The safest place in a lightning storm is inside a sturdy structure. Get inside the building, but do not stand by open windows, doors or patios during a thunderstorm. Unplug unnecessary appliances, stay off the phone, and out of the shower during the storm.

House Checks

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office welcomes your request for a check of your home, business or property while you are away. The locations on our check list are monitored daily. Just call or come by the sheriff's office at the court house to get your property on our list. You can also email sheriffsoffice@sanjuancolorado.us with your requests.

911 Telephone System

San Juan County has E911 emergency phone service throughout the entire county. In an emergency call 911 to obtain ambulance, police or fire assistance.

Business License

All businesses must obtain a Town of Silverton business license from the town clerk. No selling is allowed door-to-door or from any temporary location including vehicles without approval of the town.

Winter Driving Tips

Maintain Traction - Start and stop gradually to avoid losing traction in wet or slippery conditions. Drive at steady speeds,
avoiding sudden starts or stops. Accelerate slightly when approaching a hill, then maintain steady speed going up. Gearing
down ahead of downgrades can help avoid brake wear and reduce the chances of sliding.

Skids - Driving sensibily and steadily will avoid most skids. Anticipating turns or lane changes will help. If your vehicle begins
to skid, remove your foot from the accelerator or brake and steer in the direction of the skid. When the vehicle steadies itself,
turn the wheels straight and proceed.

Braking - Be gentle with breaking pressure during slippery road conditions. Gentle pumping action on disc brakes will avoid
locking the wheels and sending the vehicle into a skid or spin. Anti-lock braking systems provide this action for you. Avoid
braking on curves by driving through them at a safe, steady speed. Gear down for going uphill and downhill.

Weather definitions:
Road Closure: It is unsafe and unlawful to drive past a road closure at any time for any reason.

Heavy snow warning: Snow accumulations of 6 inches or more within 12 hours or 8 inches or more within 24 hours are expected at
lower elevations, with 8 inches or more in 12 hours and 12 inches or more in 24 hours expected in the mountain areas.

Winter storm warning: Heavy snow is expected, aggravated by blowing and drifiting conditions.

Blizzard Warning: Sustained or frequent wind gusts of 35 mph or more for at least 3 hours, reducing visibility to less than 1/4 mile, are expected.

If you do become stranded, DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE it is your only source of shelter.

Sex Offender Registry

The San Juan County Sheriff's Office maintains the sex offender registry for sex offenders who are required to register if this is their county of residence, or they spend more than 5 days a year here. The sex offender registry is open for inspection by the public at the San Juan County Sheriff's Office, 1557 Greene St., Silverton Colorado, weekdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or available online on this website, see link on the side bar.

CBI: Sex Offender Registry (colorado.gov)

San Juan County Sheriff's Office
P.O. Box 178
Silverton, CO 81433
Phone:(970)387-5531
Fax:(970)387-0251
Email: sheriffsoffice@sanjuancolorado.us