Consider us among the many who were surprised to learn last week that Durango’s City Council – or at least the city’s attorney – was considering legal action against La Plata County Sheriff Sean Smith because of the announcement that the La Plata County Jail would refuse to accept low-level violators effective Aug. 15.
Legal action? Discuss this over a cup of coffee.
The outcomes at municipal court, where low-level violators come from with street crimes and traffic tickets, have recently been tightened. Previously, there were too many repeat violators who continued on the street, ignoring any penalties. That required extra police time, and former Police Chief Bob Brammer, before becoming an assistant city manager, led the initiative to make sentences stick. Now, those violators may be jailed.
But the numbers reported by The Durango Herald in a story that appeared in print on Aug. 7 don’t indicate the additional jailings are that significant. As a percentage of those incarcerated – most people in county jails are awaiting some step in the legal proceedings against them – they are low. Yes, the numbers have grown and could increase further; the population is growing, and social factors may influence additional low-level law breaking. And, economics may be a factor in the sheriff’s stance. Apparently, the daily rate paid by the city, $78, for housing an inmate is significantly lower than the actual cost of $155.
Have a cup of coffee.
This is a county of about 58,000, not that large. City councilors obviously live in Durango, and the city attorney and the sheriff both office in Durango, within a couple of miles of each other.
Have a cup of coffee.
Those in Washington, D.C., are in an endless lawyer-up mode. That doesn’t need to occur here. Have that cup of coffee to work this out.
