Crime Rates Have Dropped, Yet Jail Might Expand

A member of Greeley’s City Council expects the council will vote on the fourth part of the expansion for the Weld County Jail at the Council Chambers of the Lincoln Park Annex during Tuesday’s meeting.

            But according to member, Sandi Elder, the jail’s expansion is not being proposed because of the increase in crime within the Weld County area. Instead, the expansion is being pushed because the facility is too small.

            “We have asked our legislators not to release felons,” she said. “We ask them to allow them to finish their sentence, but because of overcrowding, they release.”

            Chief of Police, Jerry Garner’s statistics on crimes in 2012 show that murder, rape and robbery have all reduced since June of 2011.

            “The mission (for the release of statistics) is to improve the quality of life for Greeley citizens by reducing their fear of becoming a victim of crime,” he said.

            The expansion of the jail will include the construction of a three-story building with a total floor area of 160,000 square feet. If the proposal were to be passed, the property would increase its area to 377, 568 square feet, and the number of beds for inmates would increase from 780 to 1,153.

            The item was pulled at last week’s meeting because the County Commissioners wanted to be there to answer any questions, and also because the Community Development director was out sick.