Adams County deputy ditches chef apron for a badge after epiphany

BRIGHTON (KDVR) — Adams County Deputy Sheriff Jason Lee loves to cook, but later in life found that it wasn’t his life calling.

“I started cooking in high school, and kind of fell in love with it, and just kept doing it and then the chance to go to culinary school, and I took it,” said Lee.

Lee graduated from Johnson and Wales University with honors, and with knife and fork in hand, traveled the culinary world.

“I went to Singapore, Thailand, it was great,“ said Lee.

Back in Denver when he celebrated his 40th birthday, Lee had an epiphany.

“And I was like, I need something more in my life. I needed that calling to do something more in my life,” said Lee.

That calling turned out to be law enforcement.

“I think I can talk to people. I handle stress well. I think there’s more stress in cooking than there is in this, honestly,” said Lee.

Whatever the reason was, it turned out to be the recipe for Lee’s success. His coworkers at the Adams County Detention Facility wholeheartedly agree.

“Outstanding stellar performance in everything he’s done. Out of all the trainees I’ve had, he’s one of the top,“ said Samuel Maldonado, Adams County Sheriff’s Office Senior Deputy.

“When I lost two of my next senior people, I said, ‘Hey, you know what? Deputy Lee, you are looking pretty good there,’“ said Cynthia Hill, Adams County Sheriff’s Office Senior Deputy.

“On a daily basis, he shows the professionalism that everybody expects out of law enforcement,” said Sergeant David Cho.

FOX31 is smelling what Lee is cooking, and that’s why we are pleased to award Deputy Jason Lee with this month’s Support the Shield deputy of the month.