From Thomas County jailer to police cadet, Daymen Avery takes the next step
October 28, 2026
Daymen Avery’s path to becoming a Colby police officer began with a conversation in a high school classroom.
During Avery’s junior year, Colby Police Chief Jake Hess visited the school to talk about police work and what it takes to build a career in law enforcement. The presentation sparked Avery’s interest. Now, after three years working for the Thomas County Sheriff’s Department, Avery is training to join the department Hess leads.
Avery grew up in Arvada before moving with his family to Colby at about age 12, around the time he entered eighth grade. His family continued making frequent trips to Denver to visit relatives, so he wasn’t especially involved in school activities or community groups. Still, Colby became home.
One of Avery’s earliest memories connected to police work came from a neighbor in Arvada who had a police canine. That experience stayed with him as an example of the work officers do, though it was the high school visit that helped him see policing as a possible career.
After graduating in 2023, Avery joined the Thomas County Sheriff’s Department as a jailer. He spent the next three years working in the jail and other roles, gaining experience in the local law enforcement system. When an officer position opened with the Colby Police Department, he applied and was selected as its newest hire.
Avery entered the police academy on Aug. 10. He spends weekdays in Yoder, south of Hutchinson, where cadets train in areas including vehicle operation, radio communication and working as a team. Recent vehicle exercises have included obstacle courses, while other instruction covers using control techniques to detain and handcuff people.
The training gives Avery a chance to build on what he has learned in the jail. He is expected to graduate Nov. 13.
Avery is one of two younger brothers in his family; one is in middle school and the other is in high school. He keeps much of his family life private, but his connection to Colby is clear: he came here as a kid, started his working life in county service and is now preparing to serve the community as a police officer.
The academy is a major step, but it is also part of a broader effort to keep local law enforcement staffed and ready. Once Avery and the other cadet complete their training, the department expects to be fully staffed.
For residents, a new officer represents more than another name on the roster. It reflects the work of recruiting, training and supporting people who choose public service—and the value of preparing the next generation of local officers to protect and serve Colby.
Chief Hess explained that Colby offers new hires an advantage over bigger cities, typically an new hire would graduate the academy and then spend 3-5 years working traffic in a large city. After proving their mettle, they would then be able to join various tasks forces to focus on drug enforcement, human trafficking, crime scene investigation, and others.
However, in Colby new hires can begin working various functions in law enforcement. Hess noted that officers must do their own investigations, and he can send his officers to various training without limitation on experience.
“Colby offers balance,” said Chief Hess. “I started out in Norton working solo on shift, which it was exciting but there are challenges.”
Colby Police Department has several officers on duty, which can provide support and back-up during challenging situations.
The department is still looking for an additional officer, and with recent approvals at city council new hires can receive a substantial hiring bonus as well as considerable health insurance coverage at a fraction of the cost of other employers.
