Two Women Close Eagle Valley Police Diversity Gap

Aspen —Will the Eagle Valley police force finally get the diversity it has been missing? For years, the department has struggled to recruit women, leaving a workforce that didn’t quite reflect the community it served. That gap is closing, thanks to a pair of officers whose paths crossed in a way that feels less like luck and more like destiny.

Stephany Villegas grew up in the valley, attending Edwards Elementary, Berry Creek Middle, and Eagle Valley High. Before she ever put on a uniform, she worked as a massage therapist and helped her father with his plumbing company. She knew she wanted to help people, but she never imagined that would mean becoming a police officer.

“I always knew I liked helping people. I’ve always had that inside me, but I never thought one day I’d be a police officer,” Villegas said.

Her first attempt at joining the force didn’t go well. She applied for a detention officer position, passed the physical exam, but arrived late for the written portion. She was disqualified.

“I saw the experience as something that wasn’t for me, and I didn’t try again,” she said. “During that time, I was young. I knew I wanted to help people, but it wasn’t my moment. Clearly, I wasn’t ready for it.”

In 2020, Villegas enrolled in the Citizen Police Academy, a joint effort by the Avon Police Department and other valley agencies. The program offers hands-on training, from DUI detection to range time. It reignited her interest.

She applied for a vacancy announced during the academy, competing against eight other candidates. One of those candidates was Sergeant Theresa Reno.

Reno, who was nearing her tenth year working at the county jail, remembered the timeline clearly.

“It was October 2020, and I was about to hit my 10-year mark working at the county jail,” Reno said.

Villegas received the call telling her she was the number one candidate on the waitlist. She was the first person they would contact if Reno didn’t accept the position. Reno had been offered the job due to her experience in corrections.

The math holds up: two women, one vacancy, and a series of coincidences that tied their careers together. The question is whether this new dynamic changes the culture of the department. To hear them tell it, it’s already making a difference.

Villegas is now part of the force, having completed the four-month training process at the CMC campus in Glenwood. Her journey from massage therapist to police officer shows what happens when you keep trying.

Reno, meanwhile, continues her work in law enforcement, bringing her unique perspective from the jail system to the street.

Their stories are just beginning. As they step into their new roles, the community watches closely. The union of their efforts might just be the strength the department needs.

“I’m excited to see where this takes us,” Villegas said. “It’s a new chapter, and I’m ready for it.”