Good Guy Garcia

Douglas County Sheriff Deputy Michael Garcia
"We're good guys."

Retiree Jack Zelkin saw the cop pull into his neighborhood, lights flashing and grabbed his camera. The amateur photographer wanted to see what the commotion was about. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy wasn’t writing tickets. He was out of his patrol car entertaining kids.

More than a dozen children climbed in and out of Deputy Mike Garcia's cruiser, plastered stickers shaped like badges on their chests and peppered him with questions. Zelkin started snapping pictures.

Garcia and photographer Jack Zelkin
"This guy is a teddy bear."

“I instantly recognized this was a great moment. The deputy was teaching kids what police are all about, teaching them that they’re the good guys and there to help, not hurt,” Zelkin said. “A lot of kids grow up thinking cops are bad guys. Well, this guy is a teddy bear.”

Deputy Garcia passed out 20 stickers while talking to the kids for nearly an hour Thursday night off Monarch Boulevard and Briar Cliff Driver in a Castle Pines North neighborhood.


Garcia interacting with kids
"It's my favorite part of the job."

"They wanted to play with the lights, see the inside of the patrol car and were asking about all of the stuff I carry,” Garcia said. “It was like standing in front of a panel of judges. They surrounded me with questions, non-stop, and I was just trying to keep up and answer them all.”

Nobody tells Garcia to interact with kids, it’s just something he does while on patrol. Some of the kids recognized him from last summer when he passed out 80 stickers at their elementary school. He hopes it influences some of them to become cops.

“They say, ‘I want to be a police officer when I grow up.’  I say, “You should, it’s fun. It’s a great career.’” He’s been on the force seven years.

Kids always ask the deputy, “What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?”  It’s an easy answer.

He was in a gunfight and shot exactly two years ago today. A drunk with a gun threatening to shoot up a restaurant in Franktown aimed his weapon at the deputy, blasting a dozen holes in his cruiser and hitting him once in the arm. Garcia fired back and took him down. The man’s in prison for the rest of his life and the deputy’s left with a lifelong injury that almost ended his career.

Garcia figures kids need to know about every part of the job.

“It’s about educating the kids. Teaching them that we’re people.  We’re real, regular people and we have a job to do,” Garcia said. “I always tell them, ‘If you need us, do not be afraid to call us. We’re good guys and we’ll talk to you.’”

He’s the kind of cop Douglas County Sheriff David Weaver is proud to have on his force. 

“Garcia’s a shining example on our patrol force and what many of the dedicated men and women in Douglas County do for their communities every day,” Sheriff Weaver said.  “That’s what we’re all about.”

Jack and June Zelkin
"We want to recognize Garcia."

After answering the children's questions, Garcia posed for pictures with photographer Jack Zelkin.  Jack hopes the smiles on the kids faces will show the deputy he’s making a difference. 

As Garcia drove away, Zelkin said, “Thank you.”


Deputy Garcia taking endless questions from kids.
"You should be deputies when you grow up."

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