The Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office has recorded increases in jail bookings and detentions during March, and at the May 3 Gilpin County Commission Board meeting, Sheriff Kevin Armstrong requested a resolution imposing temporary Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. That will increase his workload.

Armstrong said they will have to respond to illegal fires, and the Timberline Fire District will also respond. “It’s one additional thing we will have to enforce.”

Sheriff Armstrong also presented his March 2022 monthly report. He said dispatch 911 calls went down by 100 but calls for services increased. Calls for victim services increased, as well as services they provide. They have been working on 9,000 pieces of evidence.

Detentions increased bookings with 59 in March; 57 were gaming-related arrests. Two were Gilpin County residents.

According to the report Armstrong presented, February statistics compared to March resulted in the following increases: total bookings increased by 17; gaming-related bookings for the month raised to 96.6 percent; daily average population increased by 7.49 inmates for the month of March; total inmate meals served by Summit Food Services increased by 913 meals; Senior meals prepared at the jail increased by 56. DOLA billing for the quarter increased by $47,500.

Armstrong said that Central City is part of his domain, and Black Hawk contributes to that. Arrests are evenly split between Gilpin County and Black Hawk, with 24 arrests by Black Hawk, and 27 by Gilpin County.

The Detentions Division sent Deputy Shane Meredith to Snowcat Operator Training to enhance the emergency operations of the Sheriff’s office. “We were saddened by the resignation of Deputy Sierra Deleon from the Division and Office. We currently have four candidates in the hiring process for the division.”

“Nurse Anne from Southern Health Partners has announced her retirement effective June 30.” Traffic summonses were issued: speeding (including the school zone); hit and run; careless driving; driving on the wrong side of the road; illegal passing; DUI; and Driving Under Restraint.

The Sheriff’s Office responded to a 2nd Degree Burglary. Two suspects were seen going into a house under construction at 0100. A resident called the Sheriff’s Office and the suspects were arrested. Suspects were in a stolen truck and were in possession of suspected fentanyl.

Officers responded to a fatal accident at mile marker 1.6 on Highway 119. An SUV slid on slick roads and collided with a bus. The female passenger in the SUV received fatal injuries. She was not wearing a seatbelt.

On a 2nd Degree Burglary, a home under construction was unlawfully entered. Numerous tools were stolen from the residence. An arrestee was brought to the jail on a charge of 1st Degree Introduction of Contraband.

The arrestee read the advisement to enter the jail and was asked if he had any of the listed items on him. He said he didn’t. Upon being dressed out, 1.19 grams of Meth were found in his right shoe.

On March 17, the power went out in dispatch. Communications specialists Shandee Hartvigson and Lilly Neilson immediately switched the 911 lines to Black Hawk dispatch. Justin and Amy (Black Hawk Dispatchers) jumped right in and proceeded to answer our phones until a Gilpin dispatcher could get to Black Hawk. For 5.5 hours, Gilpin and Black Hawk Dispatchers worked together until power was restored.

Deputy Sedlmary complemented Deputy Varnell on the respect and professionalism he showed to an inmate who was being combative. Deputy Varnell built a rapport with the inmate, calming him down and eventually gaining his cooperation. The inmate eventually thanked Deputy Varnell and other deputies.

With the weather becoming better, motorcycles have begun their annual ride into Gilpin County. Sheriff’s officers are partnering with the Colorado State Patrol to address speeding and other traffic violations on highways 119 and 46.

Now that the fentanyl bill passed in the Colorado Legislature, costs will go up. Armstrong said the bill will have an impact with people withdrawing from fentanyl. It is an unfunded mandate.

Gilpin County Commission Chair Sandy Hollingsworth said the bill changed the amount charged for possession of drugs and now charges fees based on the amount a person has in possession. She said the Sheriffs wanted it to be any amount. The bill proposes a program through the jail.

They put $4 million to help implement it. It would take additional staffing, but it is supposed to provide supplies, Hollingsworth said.

Armstrong said the bill was passed on May 6, 2022, with some changes.

As introduced, House Bill 22-1326 makes the unlawful possession of any material, compound, mixture, or preparation that weighs more than 4 grams and contains any amount of fentanyl or carfentanil, or an analog thereof a level 4 drug felony. The bill makes the unlawful distribution containing fentanyl, carfentanil, or an analog thereof: a level 1 drug felony if it weighs more than 50 grams; a level 2 drug felony if it weighs more than 4 grams, but not more than 50 grams; and a level 3 drug felony if it weighs not more than 4 grams.

The bill requires that a jail, upon release, provide opiate antagonists and prescribe medication for an opiate use disorder to certain persons. The bill requires community corrections programs to assess individuals residing in the programs for substance use withdrawal symptoms and develop protocols for medical detoxification monitoring, medication-assisted treatment, and other appropriate withdrawal management care.

For the 2022-23 fiscal year, the bill requires the appropriation of $20 million from the behavioral and mental health cash fund to the opiate antagonist bulk purchase fund. For the 2022-23 fiscal year, the bill requires the appropriation of $300,000 to the department of public health and environment for the purchase and distribution of non-laboratory synthetic opiate detection tests to eligible entities.

For more information, go to https:// www.gilpincountysheriff.com/