Department of Safety

Continuous alcohol monitoring is an effective technology for offenders with alcohol-related crimes. It is used on post-conviction cases that involve driving while intoxicated and driving under revocation and/or suspension. Alcohol monitoring is also used in pretrial cases involving alcohol in domestic violence cases, as well as habitual traffic offenses. 

The continuous alcohol monitoring program accepts referrals from the Denver County Court Probation and Denver District Court Probation. The program also works with the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles. Enforcement hearing officers can refer people with suspended licenses to continuous alcohol monitoring as a condition for driver's license reinstatement.

Currently, alcohol monitoring in our department, uses a device that tests offender alcohol concentration through the skin (trans-dermal alcohol concentration, or TAC). The bracelet is water-resistant and tamper-resistant. The offender is tested at least 24-times per day. If alcohol is detected, the system automatically begins sampling every 20 minutes until alcohol is no longer present. The results are collected throughout the day and stored in the bracelet. The results are uploaded once a day via a modem to the offender's home, or once a week to the office. The results are then analyzed and posted on a secure website, so officers can access the information when needed. If the Defendant attempts to place objects (tape, playing cards, paper, etc…) between the skin and the bracelet to defeat it, the built-in tamper technology will alert the officer.

Drug Court utilizes electronic monitoring as an alternative to jail for offenders who are in the Drug Court Program in Denver District court. Most offenders are sentenced to a weekend where they are “locked down” or incarcerated in their home as the jail, utilizing a radio frequency monitor or  the continuous alcohol monitor. Traditionally, electronic monitoring has been used as a sanction by the court for offenders who violate court rules, but it has also been used for longer sentences.

The Electronic Monitoring Program works with the Denver County Courts Juvenile Division and Juvenile Probation. The program works with juveniles, their parents/guardians, and probation officers to address specific needs to promote successful completion of electronic monitoring sentences.

The program uses a variety of technologies to monitor juvenile offenders. Most commonly, the juvenile is placed on radio frequency or cell units. Certain types of offenders are placed on the continuous alcohol monitor for alcohol abuse. Monitoring juveniles creates unique obstacles which differ from normal electronic monitoring programs. The courts have very few alternative sanctions for juvenile non-compliance, thus requiring a creative approach to enforcement of violations.

The Electronic Monitoring Program works with the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles Enforcement Hearing Division to continuously monitor offender sobriety 24-hours a day. Offenders may be ordered by hearing officers to complete continuous alcohol monitoring as a condition of license reinstatement. Hearing Officers are notified about violations and can choose to either terminate the offender from the program or extend the length of time they must be on the alcohol monitor. Additionally, offenders can choose not to wear the bracelet and be subject to alternative guidelines of license re-instatement set by law and the hearing officer.

Post-conviction cases are the largest of the programs administered by the Electronic Monitoring Program, accounting for 57% of offenders monitored. The Courts utilize this program as an alternative sentence to jail and/or a condition of probation. The offender is required to meet with a probation officer either weekly or bi-weekly to address issues, verify employment, treatment, community service, school, and other court approved activities. 

Post-conviction client monitoring may utilize a combination of technologies. Most commonly offenders are monitored by radio frequency, cell units, and/or continuous alcohol monitoring. GPS technology can also be used and is determined for appropriateness by program staff and the the criminal history of the offender.

Upon court approval, the Sheriff’s Department can release inmates to the Electronic Monitoring Program for supervision of their sentence. 

Sheriff Home Detention I & II

The original Sheriff Home Detention program allows the Sheriff’s Department to release inmates to the Electronic Monitoring Program. Inmates are then jailed in their homes and are allowed to work while under the supervision of electronic monitoring. This program utilizes several technologies including radio frequency, GPS, and continuous alcohol monitoring. The Sheriff’s Department and the Electronic Monitoring Program review the offender’s history and make a recommendation to the court on the viability of electronic monitoring and the type of technology that should be utilized. To date the program has monitored 351 inmates with an 82% success rate and 74% of the inmates have been employed.

Jail Work Release

The Jail Work Release program was created to allow inmates to maintain their employment while serving their jail sentence. Offenders are released from the jail daily to work and then return to the jail at night. Currently this program utilizes GPS and continuous alcohol monitoring technology to monitor the inmates. By utilizing GPS and continuous alcohol monitoring, program staff are able to monitor the offender’s movement and sobriety.

Jail Work Search

The Jail Work Search program was created to allow inmates who might otherwise qualify for one of the other sheriff programs to be released from the jail to search for employment. The offender is allowed job search time and then returns to the jail nightly. Inmates are monitored with GPS and continuous alcohol monitoring. If the offender successfully finds employment they are then transferred to one of the other programs to complete their sentence.

Remediation

The Remediation program serves as a final effort by the sheriff, probation, and electronic monitoring to keep an offender in the community before a more severe sentence is imposed. The Remediation program was created in conjunction with probation to give the court an alternative sentencing option for probation revocation filings. Offenders are initially sentenced to a stay of 30 days in the Denver County Jail and are then placed on monitoring. The Sheriff’s Department then determines what type of monitoring technology is needed, the length of sentence, and whether the offender will be allowed to serve that sentence at home or will have to report back to the jail nightly. This program is designed to facilitate successful completion of probation terms that were not being met prior.

Sheriff's Program Contact
Deputy Line, Deputy Cummings
Phone: (720) 913-3758