CORTEZ, Colo. — Montezuma County Sheriff Steven Nowlin announced Monday that his office will not participate in a new Colorado gun law, citing funding, staffing and constitutional concerns. “As a Colorado Sheriff, and every member of the Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office, each of us has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Colorado, and perform the duties of the Office of Sheriff in Colorado by protecting those rights for all citizens in Montezuma County,” Nowlin said in a news release. Additionally, he questioned the law's requirement that prospective buyers complete firearms safety training, arguing that hunter education has historically been tied to hunting and trapping, not firearm purchases. Nowlin said county residents would be directed to Colorado Parks and Wildlife or participating Colorado sheriff's offices regarding the firearms safety course eligibility cards process. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation reported Monday that its InstaCheck Unit processed a record number of firearm background checks in July, ahead of the new law.