Dear Colorado-CURE, CCJRC has joined the growing list of organizations that are very concerned about the increase in the jail population in Denver, the effect this can have on the safety for people who are incarcerated and working in the jail and the lack of serious effort by Denver leaders to address this ongoing problem with substantive efforts to reduce the jail population. As some of you may recall, CCJRC helped coordinate the “Fail the Jail” campaign in 2005 to oppose the bond measure to greatly expand the number of people incarcerated in jail in Denver. Back then, the only strategy put forth by city leaders to address jail overcrowding was to build another massive new jail, saddle taxpayers with the debt and do nothing to address the drivers of mass incarceration in Denver. Unfortunately, here we are again! Below, please find details on a rally being organized by the Colorado Latino Forum. We hope you can join us there.  Denver Metro Chapter
Denver's Jail Over-Crowding Crisis:
“Safety for All” Rally
When: Wednesday, February 22th 2017 1:30pm
Where: Main Entrance Downtown Jail,
Denver Sheriff Department (DSD)
Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center
490 W. Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80204
Denver, CO - Denver Deputy Sheriffs, faith leaders, and criminal justice reform advocates are joining together in a unification rally calling for immediate action by Mayor Michael Hancock, Public Safety Director Stephanie O’Malley and Sheriff Patrick Firman to resolve Denver’s jail overcrowding and safety crisis. Organizers call on the Mayor to immediately convene a working group comprised of community advocates, deputy sheriffs, public officials and faith leaders to address escalating jail overcrowding and assault issues. Inmates, deputies and community members have spoken out against the “powder keg” environment within the Denver Sheriff Department’s jails due to overcrowding where the capacity is projected to exceed 100% by this summer. The unprecedented number of rising assaults, mandatory overtime, short-staffing, and lack of services has created an environment that is “about to blow” according to inmates, reform advocates and deputies. “The silence from the Sheriff and the Public Safety Director about the jail overcrowding crisis is deafening,” states Mike Jackson, President of Denver Sheriff FOP #27. “While inmates and staff are being assaulted daily, the administration promotes feel-good stories to hide the truth of what is going on behind jail walls. It’s time for all of our elected officials to take notice and hold the public safety leadership accountable before the next tragedy occurs.” “Denver must do more to keep people out of jail who shouldn’t be there in the first place,” states Rev. Timothy Tyler, Pastor of Shorter Community AME Church. “Being poor, homeless or mentally ill should not be a crime in this city. Yet, these are the very people cycled in and out of our jails. Those who are the most vulnerable should not be at the greatest risk of harm in an institution that is responsible for their well-being.” Alex Landau with the Denver Justice Project agrees that Denver law enforcement officials need to be “more proactive by diverting people away from jail, and support bail reform efforts that addresses people in jail who cannot afford low cost bonds.” He adds that, “to reduce the population, we need a holistic approach toward minimizing the number of people going in, and the amount of time they are required to stay.” Dangerous and stressful conditions increase the chances of violent interactions. “No matter how good a use of force policy is written, if the conditions inside the facility are not improved, then the policy is just a piece of paper,” states Lisa Calderón, Co-Chair of the Colorado Latino Forum. Calderón participated in DSD’s use of force policy taskforce where members issued a climate survey that revealed demoralized, exhausted and stressed out deputies who felt unheard by management. “If we are going to make jail safer for everyone, we must address contributing factors including fatigue, inadequate training, and unresponsive leadership. At the end of the day, we want everyone to go home safely.” The Denver Sheriff union asserts that jail overcrowding and safety issues stem from leadership failures. “The jail crisis is largely the result of no one at the top being accountable,” states Mike Britton, Vice-President of Denver Sheriff FOP #27. Britton explains that “the Sheriff is a ceremonial position with no real authority to lead the Department. That power belongs to the Public Safety Director who is appointed by the Mayor. Under the current system, there is no way for voters to hold public safety officials accountable. An elected Sheriff would be accountable to the people, or else the community will have the power to vote them out of office.”
Partner Organizations
Colorado Latino Forum, Denver Chapter
Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
Committee for City and Airport Fairness
Denver Homeless Out Loud Denver Justice Project Denver Sheriff FOP Lodge #27 Drug Policy Alliance Legacy Grace Community Development Corporation
NEWSED
Shorter Community AME Church Veterans of Hope | 
