Sheriff details jail replacement, staffing and equipment asks in 2026 budget study session

Arapahoe County’s sheriff and finance staff presented a broad set of budget priorities Thursday, telling commissioners the county must plan now for an aging detention facility and adjust baseline funding for staffing, training and equipment.

Sheriff Tyler Brown told commissioners the county’s detention facility is nearing 40 years old and requires long‑term replacement planning. “We’re looking north of $500,000,000 to replace this facility,” Brown said, urging the board to keep the issue on the county’s strategic radar even though the cost exceeds typical operating funding sources.

In the near term, county finance staff recommended a “rightsizing” package — ongoing funding of roughly $1.8–$1.9 million — to steady operating accounts for training, uniforms, jail maintenance, inmate services, equipment and other recurring needs. Todd Weaver, finance director, said some partner jurisdictions will bear parts of these costs where appropriate, but the county will still need significant new baseline funding.

The sheriff’s office also asked the board to address deputy staffing disparities between unincorporated county areas and contract cities. Public‑safety bureau leaders said calls for service and population are roughly equal between Centennial and adjacent unincorporated areas, but the county has about 39.5 fewer county‑paid deputies covering unincorporated neighborhoods. Capt. Jared Rollison outlined a phased plan to add about 10 deputies per year for four years — a gradual approach staff said would avoid overwhelming training capacity and hiring pipelines.

Overtime funding remains under pressure, officials said, though reported overtime costs are trending down from last year. Brown and finance staff said vacancy and training progress are reducing overtime: the sheriff’s office reported roughly $400,000 less overtime spending in the year‑to‑date compared with the prior year.

Staff also identified several program‑level and capital needs: - Senate Bill 3 implementation: The new firearms‑purchase training and background requirements will increase concealed‑carry processing and background work. Sheriff’s staff estimate the new workload could require roughly five additional FTEs for concealed‑handgun permit processing and background checks, plus ongoing costs estimated at about $950,000 and a $50,000 one‑time infrastructure cost. The sheriff’s office will seek to mitigate some demand because existing CHP holders may be grandfathered or have already cleared background checks. - Radios: The office flagged 429 portable radios near end of life; replacement costs were estimated at roughly $5,831 per unit, producing a multi‑million dollar replacement need. Staff said parts are increasingly unavailable and the county risks communications gaps if radios fail. - Jail management system (JMS): Replacement and ongoing licensing for the JMS (jail 6) will require ongoing funding (estimated about $184,000 ongoing) to replace jail5, which is being retired. - SCBAs and other protective equipment: Self‑contained breathing apparatuses used by deputies, bomb/technical teams and detention staff will require cyclical replacement as tanks and masks reach lifespan limits.

Brown emphasized the difference between large, long‑term capital asks and smaller, recurring operational adjustments. He said the sheriff’s office would continue to seek efficiencies but cautioned that public expectations for timely, in‑person law‑enforcement response make cuts to core services especially sensitive. “When people call 911, they don’t want to wait,” Brown said.

Ending: Staff said they will refine cost estimates and present updated, itemized proposals during the budget cycle and in the first quarter budget review to allow commissioners to vet priorities and tradeoffs before finalizing 2026 budget guidance.