PEACE OFFICER
Fifty years. One badge. Zero shots fired.
In a town that transformed over fifty years from a remote, hard-drinking mining outpost to a celebrity ski haven, the longest-serving sheriff in Colorado history grapples with blizzards, avalanches, cocaine, and murders—without ever once firing his gun. Through vérité, archival materials, creative animation, and deep-dive interviews, the film follows Bill’s evolution from ardent drug warrior to a staunch critic of the War on Drugs—and asks whether policing and law enforcement can remain human in an era of militarization, mistrust, and political fracture.
Peace Officer is about a man who could build bridges rather than walls.
PEACE OFFICER is supported by our fiscal sponsor, the Denver Film Society.
You can make tax-deductible donations (check, direct deposit, wire transfer, etc.) through their site. Please reach out to us if you have any questions.
About the Film
Peace Officer is a visually arresting feature documentary about Sheriff Bill Masters' remarkable five-decade career in Colorado's San Miguel County.
Known for his fierce independence, pragmatic leadership, and unflinching honesty, Masters has long challenged conventional thinking on law enforcement—from rejecting the war on drugs to redefining what justice means in a polarized America. Set against the rugged backdrop of the San Juan Mountains, the film offers a deeply personal portrait of a man who stood firm while the ground beneath law enforcement shifted.
Directed by David Holbrooke, this story is not just about a sheriff—it’s about the complex legacy of power, service, and principle.
Meet the Director
David first conceived Original Thinkers in 2004 as a film company that would produce a series of profiles of smart, fresh voices who were off of the mainstream media’s radar. The first film was Live from Shiva’s Dance Floor, which premiered at Sundance and was directed by the brilliant Richard Linklater, featuring the astonishingly smart NYC tour guide Speed Levitch. As David directed additional short documentaries his intention was to inspire other filmmakers to find their favorite original thinker to profile and fill out the series.
In 2007, David happily put his OT plans on hold as he became Festival Director of Telluride Mountainfilm, where he spent a decade building the festival into a force in the environmental space. Over his tenure, he got to see first hand how important it was to gather, to take in culture that was imbued with meaning, and to discuss it and have a shared experience.
With that in mind, in 2018 Original Thinkers was reborn with the launch of its flagship festival event in Telluride, Colorado. The first Original Thinkers was held in October against a backdrop of golden aspens and snow-capped mountains. It was truly a glorious weekend with the intrepid staff, courageous audiences and bold speakers all showing up to see what this new paradigm was all about. It worked, and here we are today presenting fresh ideas through story and creating a community of original thinkers.
At Original Thinkers, David and the team are committed to making sure that they look at the world through a human lens, and honor everyone’s story, knowing we all can be original thinkers when we put our mind to it and there is wisdom in our ways.
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