DOUGLAS COUNTY — Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said a backlog of sentenced inmates waiting for a prison bed is putting a strain on county jails across the state.
Once sentenced to prison, inmates are typically transferred from county jails to the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) within a few weeks, according to Sheriff Weekly. However, he said it's taking several months in some cases due to a growing waitlist of inmate transfers.
"Every single year we have a backlog, and every single year the state has refused to step up, build more facilities and take on the responsibility that they should be taking on. My county taxpayers shouldn't have to be footing these fees," said Sheriff Weekly.
Colorado law requires the state to reimburse counties $77.16 per day per sentenced inmate housed at county facilities. Sheriff Weekly said the actual daily cost to take care of an inmate at his jail is closer to $168.
"Douglas County taxpayer money is paying for these inmates to be housed in my facility, when, in fact, it's the state's responsibility to fully manage and handle all the expenses related to these inmates," said Sheriff Weekly.
A group of 17 sheriffs, inlcuding Sheriff Weekly, signed a letter to Governor Jared Polis on July 10 urging him to figure out a solution to the issue. In the letter, the law enforcement officials called on Gov. Polis to reduce the CDOC transfer backlog through more contracted facilities or emergency beds, increase the reimbursement rate paid to counties, and meet with Colorado sheriffs to work toward solutions.
Sheriff Weekly said as of July 14, there were 29 CDOC inmates housed at the Douglas County Detention Center waiting to be transferred to state custody. He said there are around 400 inmates at the jail on any given day.
Denver7 reached out to CDOC for an interview to talk about the possibility of increasing reimbursement rates paid to counties and any future contracts with facilities to house sentenced inmates. A spokesperson for CDOC said the department could not accomodate an interview, but sent the following statement:
"The Colorado Department of Corrections understands and shares the concerns raised by our county partners, and we are actively working with them, the Governor’s Office, and the General Assembly to address the current jail backlog. Public safety across Colorado is our primary mission, and that is a responsibility we share with the sheriffs.
The Department remains committed to ensuring the safe and appropriate placement of inmates during the intake process. We recognize the strain this backlog places on local facilities and continue to prioritize solutions that are both operationally effective and sustainable.
As part of these efforts, we continue to engage in budget and policy discussions with state leadership. The growing backlog of inmates, along with the funding required to support their care, remains equally significant and complex. Addressing this issue will require finding a meaningful solution.
This budget evaluation [leg.colorado.gov], requested by the CDOC, confirms many of the challenges associated with this issue and outlines recommendations that the Department is reviewing and working to implement.
This remains a complex issue with no single solution. The Department is committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to pursue practical, long-term strategies that protect public safety and respect the financial realities faced across Colorado."
Governor Jared Polis' Office sent Denver7 a statement in response to the letter from the sheriffs, saying:
“Governor Polis agrees with the letter and looks forward to working with sheriffs to tackle the backlog. The Governor finds their suggestions helpful and consistent with his own thinking, and is committed to making Colorado safer for everyone. Governor Polis is committed to making Colorado safer, is in regular contact with local law enforcement, and appreciates feedback from sheriffs to strengthen the partnership between the Department of Corrections and County Sheriff Offices. The State of Colorado continues to face a difficult budget environment, exacerbated by federal cuts, and the Governor is focused on ensuring that DOC has enough resources and bed capacity to address the issues that state and counties are facing. The Governor is always open to discussions about how the state and local law enforcement can partner to make Colorado safer and hopes to partner with sheriffs to find solutions to resolve the backlog and keep Colorado communities safe.”
Sheriff Weekly said buiding more facilities to house sentenced inmates would not only take the strain off his jail, but said it would also be beneficial for inmates' health. He said as county jails become more crowded, deputies may have a harder time providing adequate care to inmates.
"It's a busy job, and it's a stressful job, and the more inmates that we have in our custody, the more difficult that job is," he said. "If my jail is overcrowded and I've got too many of these inmates waiting to be transferred, that could turn into liability for us."
Sheriff Weekly said while county jails provide medical care and services, the facilities are not meant to provide long-term rehabilitation care as in prison. He said the longer CDOC inmates wait in county jails for a prison bed, the longer they are missing out on crucial services.
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