Denver’s director of public safety, Armando Saldate, spoke to the city’s civilian law enforcement oversight body last week to clear up misinformation: A proposal to create authority in the Denver Sheriff Department to investigate some crimes has been drafted, but no formal changes have been adopted.

Saldate told the Denver Citizen Oversight Board on Friday the safety director has the ability to delegate authority for duties typically carried out by the Denver Police Department. He said he has seen a draft proposal for the sheriff’s department to have delegated authority over enforcing low-level city ordinance violations, but he has not approved any changes. He has been seeking clarification first about the proposed scope of the responsibilities, adding he previously saw a draft that included crimes not limited to the city’s jails, which confused him.

“Unfortunately, the cart came out before the horse, and that information was out and about and then also rumors and information started floating out there,” Saldate said of rumors that changes had already been made.

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Employees of the sheriff’s department currently don’t have patrol duties or investigative and charging authority. They work in Denver’s jails, the courthouses and the Denver Health medical center.

Saldate said he has asked for an opinion from the city attorney’s office on whether expansion of the authority of the sheriff’s department to have more general policing duties would require a city charter change.

Saldate also mentioned a potential change for sheriff department employees who are assigned to patrol the outside of Denver’s downtown detention facility and courthouses to do so on bicycles rather than only on foot. The change would allow them to cover more area and respond faster to any issues.

He explained there has been discussion of whether a bike policy would enable deputies to make stops, which he said seems to fall under patrol duties.

“We just want to clarify that … folks aren’t out there engaging in the in the types of law enforcement activities that would otherwise be handled by the Denver Police Department at this time until all these other qualifications are satisfied,” said Stefan Stein, a member of the Citizen Oversight Board, in last week’s meeting.

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Saldate agreed, and said he wants the board and the Office of the Independent Monitor to be a part of discussions about any expansion of authority for the sheriff’s department.

“My intention with the Citizen Oversight Board has always been to fully integrate you all in our decision-making process, to get that community voice and citizen voice in big initiatives.”

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