Ridgway deputy marshal Rachel Esters’ days on-call typically begin with a carrot muffin and coffee, followed by a friendly staring contest with the cows grazing behind the Ouray County Fairgrounds.

“I like to look at the cows and wave at the cows because cows are cute. I love the cows,” Esters, a vegetarian, said with a grin on her face. “That’s a plus living out here, having all this agriculture.”

Following a 37-year career in the Air Force, the Army and in law enforcement, Esters...