Maricopa County Sheriff’s Capt. Larry Kratzer is the new commander assigned to the Sheriff’s District 7 based in Fountain Hills, and he was also just recently promoted to captain. However, he is not totally unfamiliar with the community he is now serving.

Kratzer grew up in California but had an aunt and uncle and cousins who were living in Fountain Hills and remembers coming to town to visit that family – and playing basketball and roller hockey on the courts (recently demolished) at Four Peaks Park.

Kratzer’s family moved to the Valley from California when he was 13 and made their home in Mesa. He is a graduate of Westwood High School.

He started with MCSO right out of high school, beginning as a detention officer at the age of 18, a job he held for three years before starting his career as a deputy sheriff on court duty before beginning patrol duty in District 1 covering East Mesa.

In his first assignment as a sergeant Kratzer worked patrol duty in District 6, based in Queen Creek, where he eventually made his home. He also worked as an administrative sergeant five years in District 1 before being promoted to lieutenant.

As a lieutenant Kratzer has worked with the Professional Standards Bureau for MCSO (internal affairs), Lake Patrol and the Bureau of Internal Oversight, the unit auditing patrol standards.

Kratzer has continued his education while working with course work at Rio Salado Community College and is nearing completion of his bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University.

As a deputy Kratzer has received certifications as a supervisor and in law enforcement auditing, inspection and interrogation.

First impressions of his new job in Fountain Hills for Kratzer are positive.

“I’m hearing a lot of people expressing support for MCSO,” he said. “It is nice to have the support of the town.

“What really stands out for me is how much the deputies working here love it and want to keep the assignment.”

In the first weeks here Kratzer said he is hearing from citizens and officials some concern over traffic enforcement and safety.

“I am hearing a lot of different ideas and what people think is important,” he said. “Traffic safety and enforcement is a big part of what we do.”

Kratzer said he wants to hear what people have to say.

“We will keep the channels of communication open,” he said. “We remember that we are public servants; that gets lost sometimes.”