Ross Young is a Colorado native and has lived in Mesa County with his family since 2001. Ross has been working in law enforcement for over eighteen years, serving five years with the Fruita Police Department and thirteen with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).

Ross's early career included working as a Deputy within the MCSO Detentions and Operations Division and as a member of the MCSO Street Crimes Unit. While at the Fruita Police Department, he was promoted to Corporal and served a brief tenure as their Public Information Officer.

Returning to the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office in 2018, Ross served as their first Co-Response Deputy, paired with mental health clinicians to assist citizens in crisis. He also worked as an Investigator in the MCSO’s Intelligence and Complex Crimes Units.

Ross was later promoted to Sergeant and currently supervises various critical support functions, including the Property Crimes Unit, Evidence, Patrol Service Technicians, Crime Scene Unit, and the Peer Support team. During his tenure as Sergeant, his Peer Support team championed Senate Bill 24-063, Confidentiality of Group Peer Support Services, providing additional protections and support to all first responders involved in critical incidents, was signed into law in March of 2024. Building on this success, his Property Crimes Unit in 2025 advocated for and passed Senate Bill 25-079, Colorado Vending of Digital Assets Act, which provides crucial protections for citizens victimized in cryptocurrency scams throughout the State of Colorado. Ross earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Colorado Mesa University and a Master’s Degree in Criminology from Regis University. He also taught report writing at the Western Colorado Peace Officers Academy for several years and was awarded Top Academic Instructor four times.

Ross and his wife Vanessa have been married for over twenty years, are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and have four children; their oldest is attending University in Utah, and their younger children are currently attending school in the Valley.