CASPER, Wyo. — Albany County Sheriff’s Corporal Derek Colling has resigned from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, according to Albany County for Proper Policing (ACoPP).
Colling resigned on Wednesday, according to the ACoPP press release. Colling shot and killed Laramie resident Robert Ramirez in 2018.
Colling was hired by former Albany County Sheriff Dave O’Malley in 2012 after he had previously been involved in two fatal shootings and faced allegations of brutality during his time with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, as explained in an article titled “How Violent Cops Stay in Law Enforcement” published in The New Yorker on May 21.
The Wyoming Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission began an investigation into Colling after Ramirez’s mother Debra Hinkel filed a written complaint about his conduct in Jan. 2020 which The New Yorker reported was on-going as of May 21.
ACoPP say they submitted 2,600 petition signatures to the Wyoming POST in support of terminating and de-certifying Colling.
“When an officer who engaged in misconduct leaves their position because they feel the walls closing in on them, the only way to ensure that they don’t take up employment somewhere else is to have that officer’s certification revoked,” ACoPP Executive Director and Rep. Karlee Provenza (Albany) said in the release. “With the history that Colling has, it is imperative that he be decertified by POST to protect other communities.”
ACoPP said that Colling is the third resignation related to the Ramirez killing. O’Malley announced plans to retire from his position as sheriff less than a week before Ramirez’s mother filed a lawsuit against Albany County as WyoFile reported in Sept. 2020.
ACoPP said that former Albany County Attorney Peggy Trent resigned in May 2021.
“Both former county officials have been criticized for their involvement in the failed indictment of Colling and are subjects of the $20 million lawsuit filed by Ramirez’s family,” ACoPP said.
Provenza added: “Derek Colling turning in his badge and gun is because of the efforts made by this community that fought for justice for Robbie Ramirez. Colling’s resignation is accountability, but it is not justice.”
ACoPP says that justice for Ramirez would mean policy changes that “result in transparency, accountability, and meaningful community oversight that would prevent excessive force and misconduct of bad actors.”
Hinkel said in the release: “There’s a lot of work ahead of us to ensure that I’m not having to help someone else get justice for their child, but for now I can take a breath and take another step towards justice for my son.”
