A coalition of 17 county sheriffs urged Gov. Jared Polis to resolve the Department of Corrections’ backlog in inmate transfers and increase what the local officials described as the state’s inadequate reimbursement rate for housing inmates in county jails. Current conditions are unsustainable according the group.

In a letter signed by the sheriffs of El Paso, Douglas, Pueblo, and other counties, the group warned that prolonged delays in transferring of DOC-sentenced inmates from county jails into state custody, combined with what they called an “outdated and underfunded” per diem reimbursement rate, is creating a fiscal and public safety crisis. 

“County jails were never designed — or funded — to house state inmates for extended periods,” the sheriffs stated. “Yet we’re being forced to expand capacity and stretch already limited staff to accommodate inmates who should be in state custody. This isn’t just unsustainable — it’s unfair to local taxpayers.”

In May, El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal called on Polis to address the backlog at the El Paso County Jail, the largest in the state.

At the time, 139 DOC-sentenced inmates were being housed at the jail while they waited for an open bed at a DOC facility.

Facing a budget shortfall of more than $1 billion, state lawmakers recently eliminated about 300 DOC beds.

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.

Under state law, the DOC is required to reimburse county jails at a rate of $77.16 per inmate per day, but sheriffs said it costs them nearly double that to house each person. 

“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,” Roybal said. “This imbalance continues to strain our operations, requiring additional staffing, medical support, medication, and meals to sustain those in custody.”

The sheriffs are asking the Governor to make the following changes:

• Expedite the reduction of the DOC transfer backlog through emergency beds or contracted correctional facilities

• Increase the per diem reimbursement rate

• Invest in more mental health treatment to address court-ordered evaluations and transfers

• Convene a meeting with them to discuss solutions 

“This is no longer a localized issue — it’s a statewide emergency,” the sheriffs wrote. “We must work together — state and county leaders alike — to protect our communities, hold dangerous criminals accountable, and ensure the sustainability of our correctional systems.”