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May 30, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 68, Issue 32
Trail run challenges city’s best
Slidin’ into Summer
By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com
Water World lifeguards test out the Turbo Racer before the opening of the park on May 25. Over the Memorial Day weekend, Water World welcomed thousands of people hoping to get some fun in the sun. The park is open daily this summer until Labor Day. Photo by Ashley Reimers
Chiefs express concern for public safety Sheriff ’s office turns away prisoners despite daily jail cap of 30 being lifted By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com Local law enforcement officials aired public safety concerns related to inmates being turned away from the Adams County jail during a press conference Tuesday at the Thornton Police Department. “In the last week, seven prisoners have been rejected by the sheriff who were sentenced to jail by our judges,” said Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates. He said these prisoners were sentenced for crimes that included shoplifting, trespassing, misdemeanor battery, motor vehicle theft and prostitution — and all had a criminal history. “These are folks who belong in jail even for modest misdemeanor offenses,” Oates said. Thornton, Westminster, Aurora, Commerce City and Brighton police chiefs spoke to the media at the conference. Despite the Adams County commissioners suspending a 30-inmate cap per day for municipalities at the jail in April, the sheriff’s office is still turning away people who are sentenced, which has prompted the chiefs to go public with their con-
Westminster police officers and firefighters will once again battle it out to the finish line during the 4h Annual Blazing Bullets Trail Run on Saturday, June 8. All ages are welcome to run or walk the 5k race or a take it up a notch and compete in the 10k race. The race begins at 8 a.m. at Christopher Fields, 5875 W. 104th Ave, and covers many Westminster trails. “This run is a lot of fun because the whole time the police officers and firefighters are bantering back and forth about who is going to win the race. Even before the race, both sides are razzing each other about the race,” said Westminster police detective and race director Jean Matthews. “Citizens tell me how fun it is to listen to both sides. People really seem to get a kick out of it. It’s pretty entertaining.” The trail run is also a fundraiser for the Westminster Public Safety Recognition Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to recognizing city employees, residents, and police and fire personnel for heroism, bravery and acts of service in the name of public safety in Westminster. The money raised from the race will go toward the foundation’s annual awards banquet. “The foundation’s No. 1 goal is to honor our local heroes, and we do that through the awards banquet in September,” said Betty Whorton, chairperson for the foundation. “The banquet is our way of showing our police officers, firefighters and anyone who has stepped out to help someone else that we appreciate what they have done. It’s our way of saying thank you.” Matthews said last year’s race was the biggest yet, with close to 250 runners. She’s hoping that number grows this year with even more participants. She said this year’s race has a little more meaning after the many tragedies that have happened in the past year including the Aurora Theater shooting, Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, the Boston Marathon bombing, and especially the local tragedy of the murder of Jessica Ridgeway. “We invited the school and parents at Witt Elementary, where Jessica went to school, to see if they would like to participate in the race,” she said. Run continues on Page 11
Thornton police Chief Randy Nelson talks to the media at a press conference Tuesday about the Adams County sheriff turning away prisoners last week. From left, Brighton Chief Clint Blackhurst, Commerce City Chief Troy Smith and Westminster Chief Lee Birk join Nelson. Photo by Tammy Kranz
cerns. When inmates are turned away due to a cap, they are typically held elsewhere based on a contract with another jail. The cap restriction, which began on Jan. 1, 2012, was divided among nine municipalities based on population in Adams County. Daily inmate capacity numbers were set
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by Sheriff Doug Darr. They are: Thornton, eight; Westminster, five; Aurora and Commerce City, four apiece; Northglenn and Brighton, three each; and one each for Federal Heights, Arvada and Bennett. “I have public safety concerns for our residents and our businesses,” said Thornton Police Chief Randy Nelson. “What happened in Aurora can happen in any municipality in Adams County.” Adams County enacted the jail cap because of budget issues that forced the sheriff to reduce staffing levels at the jail. Before the cap, the municipalities had an average of 130 to 140 inmates at the jail on a daily basis. The chiefs pointed out that the cities have worked hard to reduce that average by 65 percent to 44 daily prisoners. Chiefs continues on Page 7
Community members compete in the 2012 Blazing Bullets Trail Run in Westminster. This year the race will be Saturday, June 8, and supports the Westminster Public Safety Recognition Foundation. Courtesy photo