Aurora council approves Adams County deal to boost inmate limit

AURORA | More inmates from Aurora will be allowed at the Adams County jail after years of contention between the Sheriff’s Office and the city over a controversial cap on municipal beds used.

Aurora City Council voted 6-2 at Monday’s regular meeting to move forward with an agreement that will allow the city and other municipalities in Adams County to house up 80 inmates at the Adams County Detention Facility, an increase from the cap of 65 that was negotiated last year.

Council members Molly Markert and Bob Broom voted against the measure. Bob Roth and Sally Mounier were absent from the meeting and the earlier study session discussion.

The council members expressed concerns during a study session earlier in the evening over a stipulation in the new agreement whereby Aurora would pay an added fee for any municipal inmate after the 80-inmate cap is reached.

“I can’t support this. That’s the county’s responsibility,” said Broom “If they start charging us for this, what’s next? Where would it stop?”

Daniel Money, assistant city attorney, said during the study session that Adams County increased the cap because it found extra funding through shifting detention officers around.

He said as part of the agreement Aurora would have 14 beds of the 80 allocated at the Adams County jail.

Under the agreement, if the inmate cap is exceeded, Aurora would be notified and could either release an inmate or pay Adams County a $45 per-diem fee to house that inmate. Those held on charges of domestic violence would not be released, according to the agreement.

Adams County Sheriff  Michael McIntosh told the Aurora Sentinel last October he wanted to thaw chilly relationships with cities such as Aurora. In 2011, former Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr introduced a controversial cap of 30 on the number of municipal inmates that could be housed in the Adams County jail.

Commerce City, Federal Heights, Northglenn, and Thornton are also part of the new agreement with the Adams County Sheriff. Last February, the cities along with Aurora sued Darr seeking damages and a declaration that the sheriff had no authority to cap the number of prisoners.

Money said that under the new agreement, where the cap was created by Adams County, that the county is within their authority under state statute to manage how jail beds are distributed. 

“We’re better off than we were before, and that’s why I’m supporting this,” said Councilwoman Renie Peterson, during the regular meeting.