Aurora looks to Arapahoe County jail for extra prisoner space in ongoing jail dispute

AURORA | More inmates could be housed in Arapahoe County as a solution to the lack of jail beds available in Aurora’s detention center.

City Council gave unanimous initial approval Monday to move forward with an agreement that will allow the city to house Aurora’s Adams County inmates at the Arapahoe County Jail for $55 a day.

“This expense should be Adam’s County’s expense,” said Councilman Bob Broom. “It’s a cost we’re having to eat because Adams County refuses to take our prisoners.”

The need for more bed space for Aurora inmates stems from a controversial cap on the number of municipal inmates imposed by Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr. Since March, Darr has released 12 of Aurora’s inmates who haven’t finished their jail sentences.  

Adams County only accepts 30 inmates sentenced by municipal courts around the county, which tend to handle lower-level crimes. 

Aurora’s agreement with Arapahoe requires Aurora to be responsible for the inmate’s paperwork, and also for transportation. The Arapahoe County Sheriff also has the right to return any inmate to Aurora at any time.

According to Court Administrator Zelda DeBoyes, the city ended an intergovernmental agreement with Denver this year that allowed the city to house no more than 15  Aurora inmates for $52 a day in Denver.

She said the agreement between Aurora and Arapahoe County will have no cap on inmates but will be based on space ability.

While the Aurora City Council approved the IGAs with Broomfield and Douglas County earlier this year, the agreements were never officially executed,  she added.

Under those agreements, Aurora would have been able to house inmates in Broomfield for $55 a day, and in Douglass County for $51.45 a day

“Broomfield no longer had space available and the Douglas County Sheriff elected not to participate in the IGA,” she said. “It has been a very long journey.”

Aurora Sentinel writer Brandon Johansson contributed to this story