FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:  June 8, 2022                                     

Contact: Christine Duplan, Public Information Officer

(970) 423-8901

Christine.Duplan@summitcountyco.gov

SUMMIT COUNTY, CO – Tuesday, June 7, 2022, was a historic day for our community, as it marked the beginning of operations for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office Pretrial Services program known as the PAST (Pretrial Assessment and Supervised Treatment) Team. This team is comprised of compassionate individuals who understand the balance between providing supervision to defendants that will ensure their compliance with court orders outside of a custodial setting, and the need to maintain community safety. With this program, community members who have made mistakes resulting in criminal charges may be eligible to continue to work, provide for their families, and live their lives as they navigate the judicial process with the help of the PAST Team. 

The judicial branch will now have an option to order an eligible arrestee who would otherwise remain in custody, to Pretrial Services.  Two major functions of the PAST Team are gathering and providing defendant information to the courts, and supervising clients during their release period in an effort to reduce recidivism and increase compliance with court orders. The PAST Team will monitor pre-trial defendant chemical testing, connect clients with mental health and substance use disorder support, provide regular client meetings, and remind defendants of court appearances.  

“Providing pretrial services is a game-changer for our community as it supports the abundance of research concluding monetary bonds are ineffective in assuring court appearance and compliance with bond conditions,” said Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons.  

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