Denver Sheriff's Department Faces Staffing Shortage and Soaring Overtime Costs

Deputy Mike Jackson has been working for the Denver County Jail for nearly three decades, but a recent overtime shift had him and three other deputies working at the unfamiliar Downtown Detention Center.

With a shortage of staff in the Denver Sheriff Department, deputies are being pulled from other assignments to cover mandatory overtime shifts in the two jails, resulting in high costs.

In 2020, the department had an average of 85% full staffing in sworn positions, which dropped to 67% this year. Meanwhile, overtime costs have risen from $11 million in 2020 to $22 million in 2022. Currently, the department has 274 open sworn positions out of the authorized 859 deputies, causing a significant strain on the remaining staff.

The staffing shortage has led to low morale among deputies, who are forced to work longer hours and more mandatory overtime. This has not only affected their personal lives, but also led to tensions in the jails as inmates are sometimes confined to their cells due to limited staffing.

Sheriff Elias Diggins has implemented an "all hands on deck" approach, pulling deputies from non-jail assignments to cover overtime shifts. However, Deputy Jackson disagrees with the strategy, stating that the deputies lack the necessary training for their new assignments.

He also mentioned that the current recruit class of 30 will not offer much relief anytime soon, as the department has been dealing with forced overtime for the past three years.

Despite the staffing challenges, Sheriff Diggins remains optimistic about the future, citing efforts to boost morale and retention within the department. But for now, the shortage and high cost of overtime continue to be a major issue for the Denver Sheriff Department.