Sheriff Elias Diggins
Elias Diggins was sworn in as the Sheriff of Denver (CO) in July 2020. He has been with the Denver Sheriff Department since 1994, holding all uniform ranks with various assignments during his career. He is a staunch supporter of both the community and the men and the women of the Denver Sheriff Department. He is a Colorado native and grew up in the east Denver neighborhood of Montbello.
He is a nationally recognized law enforcement official and a past-president of the American Jail Association (AJA). During his term as AJA President, he introduced an initiative titled "Gender Equity in Jails Across America," which has also been adopted by the Department of Justice-National Institute of Corrections. He is the recipient of several honors from various organizations, including the prestigious Legacy Award from the Association of Women Executives in Corrections. As an advocate for the mental health community, he created a cabinet-level position in his administration titled, “Chief of Mental Health Services,” and hired a licensed psychologist to fill the role.
Sheriff Diggins is a Certified Correctional Executive through the American Correction Association (ACA), where he is also a former auditor, former commissioner, and the past-chair for ACA's Commission on Accreditation for Corrections. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Colorado Denver and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Metropolitan State
Our Mission
The mission of the Denver Sheriff Department is to provide safe and secure custody for those placed in our care and to perform all of our duties in a manner that is responsive to the needs of our diverse community.
We are committed to excellent community and customer service and to continuously building a smarter and exceptional agency by concentrating on five pillars as described in our Strategic Plan.
The Denver Sheriff Department, led by Sheriff Elias Diggins, comprises over 1,100 uniformed and non-uniformed staff overseeing many diverse divisions and operations including two jail facilities, security for the district and county court systems, state inmate transportation, extradition duties, fugitive and K-9 units, a vehicle impound facility, and security at Denver Health & Medical Center.
To get better acquainted with our department, the below links may be of interest to you. Start by tracking our progress by reviewing our last annual report and most recent strategic plan. Move between the tabs above and then scroll down to find details about careers with the sheriff department, our facilities and services, related news, and information about visiting someone in our custody and the services provided to them while in our care.
(720) 337-0200
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