The Mesa County Sheriff's Office Street Crimes Unit was created in an effort to address the concerns with staffing levels resulting in calls received near the end of  a patrol shift, as well as the need to create a unit dedicated to enforcement projects designed to focus on drug traffickers, sex offender registration violators, burglars, and thefts from autos. Unit members are comprised of one  Sergeant and one Corporal, plus four deputies. The functions of this unit include but are not limited to:

• Provide adequate staffing levels during the transition from day to evening shift
• Reduce overtime associated to calls of service received near the end of a patrol shift
• Crime reduction through selective enforcement activities
• Identify and target street level or neighborhood drug dealers
• Utilize crime analysis and intelligence information to reduce burglaries and theft from autos by apprehending those responsible for committing the crimes
• Assist the sex offender management team to attain their objectives
• Locate and arrest high impact fugitives

Since its inception in late May 2006, the Street Crimes Unit has created a valuable resource for special assignments ranging from pinpointing and arresting subjects on outstanding warrants to locating suspects for questioning and executing search warrants. This team's ability to focus on the small percentage of criminal who are responsible for the largest portion of crimes committed against the public, have allowed the patrol deputies to remain focused on their primary responsibilities of handling in progress calls of service.