The El Paso County Sheriff is calling on Gov. Jared Polis and state legislators to address a backlog and funding shortages within the state’s Department of Corrections.

In a May 29 media release, Sheriff Joseph Roybal said 139 sentenced inmates are currently being housed at the El Paso County jail, awaiting an open bed at a Colorado Department of Corrections facility.

Facing a budget shortfall of over $1 billion, state lawmakers recently eliminated about 300 beds from CDOC facilities. While funding has been approved to reopen 100 of those beds starting in July, it won’t be nearly enough to address the backlog in El Paso County, let alone the rest of the state’s other 63 counties, Roybal said.

The number of post-trial inmates staying at the county jail has steadily increased over the past few months, more than doubling since the beginning of the year. When combined with the number of inmates awaiting transfer to the State Hospital for mental health treatment, over 200 inmates remain in the county jail system despite technically being under the jurisdiction of the state, Roybal said.

State law requires CDOC to reimburse county jails at a rate of $77.16 per inmate per day, but Roybal says it costs him over $140 to house an inmate.    

In April, the state reimbursed the El Paso facility $106,017.84 for inmate care, but the actual cost was over $255,000, Roybal wrote in the release.

“The reimbursement rate, set by the Colorado state legislature, remains significantly below the actual cost, placing a financial burden on our Office and the citizens of El Paso County, he said. “This imbalance continues to strain our operations, requiring additional staffing, medical support, medication, and meals to sustain those in custody.”

The El Paso County Jail is the largest in the state, housing an average of 1,600 inmates. The sheriff’s office has worked with CDOC in the past to try and reduce fluctuations in its jail population, but “the current situation cannot continue indefinitely,” Roybal said, adding that state officials must do something to determine what’s causing the increase and find a solution. 

“As Sheriff, I remain committed to the safety of our incarcerated population and to the responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” Roybal said. “Reducing our average daily population is a key focus, and resolving the current backlog is critical in achieving that objective. I urge the Colorado State Legislature and Governor Polis to prioritize resolving the reimbursement gap and the ongoing shortage of CDOC beds.”