Arapahoe County uses federal funds to make its detention center more livable
Freda Miklin reports Arapahoe County finished a detention-center expansion paid with American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Freda Miklin ·
In 2019, a 25-person citizens committee, comprised of business and nonprofit leaders from around the county, met half a dozen times before deciding to recommend a property tax hike of $68 a year on the average Arapahoe County home to fund a much-needed new Arapahoe County Detention Center. The plan was to scrape and rebuild the jail, built in 1986 to house 386 inmates, which was then holding 1,100 to 1,200 people daily, 70% of whom were pre-trial detainees who had not been convicted of a crime. By a two to one margin, voters said no to the tax increase to rebuild the jail, which was estimated to cost $464 million.
Then COVID happened, along with criminal justice reform, both of which resulted in a reduced jail population, but the current average is still 850-950 inmates, 2.3 times the number the facility was expected to accommodate when it was built 40 years ago.
Last month, the county announced it had completed a major expansion and renovation of the Detention Center. Using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money from the federal government, the jail now has a new 22,000-square foot kitchen and laundry facility. Additionally, 12,000 square feet of new health services space has been added. According to the county, “Approximately 90 percent of individuals in custody have a medical or mental health condition, and only 15 percent are actively participating in treatment programs.”
New features include improved medical exam rooms with direct access to the ambulance bay, enhanced observation areas, and safety-focused design elements such as self-harm-resistant fixtures and advanced monitoring systems, with natural light, ADA-compliant cells and bathrooms, and in-cell features such as controllable lighting and power outlets to support medical equipment like CPAP machines.
Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown said, “This is a purpose-built space designed for the realities we face today… Our goal is compassionate accountability.” Board of County Commissioners Chair Leslie Summey said, “This project is a clear example of what it means to invest in Arapahoe. We couldn’t replace the facility entirely, so we took a thoughtful, creative approach to make the most of what we have.” Construction began in 2023 and was completed in phases. The cost was $46.4 million in ARPA funds.
Print source: The Villager, Vol. 44 No. 31, June 25, 2026, page 6. Issuu edition.