He helps patrol this small, suburban community that boasts only 10,000 residents, but swells to around 200,000 part-time residents each day, courtesy of interstate traffic, shoppers at Park Meadows Mall and employees who commute to work.

The dispatch radio in his patrol car is quiet as he waves at a pedestrian who's out for a morning jog. She enthusiastically waves back.

"I don't think I can go two, three, four blocks without waving to somebody or stopping to talk to somebody," Gallegos says. "It's a great community to work. Obviously very affluent, very well educated. They expect a lot from us and we expect a lot from them in return."

Gallegos, who lives in Parker, worked as a detective for the Northglenn Police Department before switching over to Lone Tree when the department was first formed in 2005. Lone Tree, which was incorporated as a city in 1995, previously had contracted with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement services.

"It was a pleasure to start with an organization from the ground up and have a say in how it was developed," he says. "That was a huge opportunity and it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

Gallegos worked as a salesman for Coca-Cola before making his way into law enforcement. He was looking for a career with a little more spontaneity and felt he had a knack for conflict resolution.

"I just like being there for people," he says. "I like that I'm able to help sort out problems and help people come to their own resolution."

Being visible in the community is a big part of his job, he says. He has his own "baseball card" he hands out to kids when he has a little down time. The card, which features Gallegos on the front, comes complete with a brief synopsis of his career and his own personal message to kids.

It reads: "Take responsibility for what you do with your life. Set goals for yourself and strive to always do the best you can. Be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished."

"The cards just let kids know that we're approachable," he says. "It's all about building partnerships with the community."

This particular shift is a little ... slow. In fact, Gallegos doesn't have to respond to any calls during a three-hour span of his shift.

The lull in activity, however, isn't necessarily the norm, he says. During a typical day, he will respond to everything from traffic accidents to alarms from banks, businesses and homes.

Gallegos largely credits members of the community for the low crime rate here, pointing to the Carriage Club neighborhood as an example.

"The Carriage Club is a community that is really very involved," he says. "They give us a lot of input at our meetings. That's the only way we can make a difference, when the people and the police work together."

Residents of the neighborhood often call to report suspicious vehicles or people that seem out of place -- something Gallegos encourages.

"It helps us keep the riff raff out," he says.

If today's shift is any indication, it's obviously working.