General Information

Since 1996, the EPSO Gateways Through the Rockies Program has provided effective educational and therapeutic programming, re-entry support, and employable work experiences though community based business partnerships. Gateways is a non-taxpayer/self-supported inmate work program. We strive to have a positive personal impact on criminal offenders, significantly reducing crime in El Paso County and surrounding counties, and to save taxpayers money that would have been spent on policing and re-incarceration.

The Gateways Program was built on several goals. Those goals include: reducing criminal recidivism among participants, providing economic benefits to the community through additional taxes paid by employed inmates, providing additional funds to the local Judicial District’s Victim Compensation Fund, and providing a trained and substance-free element to the local labor force.

The heart and success of the Gateways Program is the community-based business partnership. It is based on the needs and resources of our community, creating both formal and informal partnerships with individuals and organizations in El Paso County and the State of Colorado. We secure partnerships with agencies and individuals in the following general categories:

1. Service providers/non-profit organizations.
2. Private businesses.
3. Agencies within the criminal justice system.
4. Community organizations.

Over the years, the Gateways participants and staff have worked at the various business partnership sites; the revenue earned has completely supported all of the financial needs of the Gateways Program including staff salaries, inmate wages, transportation and equipment needs, and truckloads of supplies.

The Sheriff’s Office has an obligation to the community to maintain its eligibility standards for inmates participating in our programs. Our participants are carefully screened with strict admissions criteria, which help assure the community and work site partnerships that violent and/or dangerous inmates will not be allowed to work in the community. 

PROGRAM MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• May meet the same criteria as inmates admitted to “Trusty” status or if the inmate is a work release violator that is ineligible only due to the arrears in work release fees. (Total arrears must be paid from any payment received).
• Have never been found guilty of a Class I Disciplinary Offense in the last two years (approval from the Detention Operations Division Commander also required).
• Not eligible for 60 days from the date of a Class II Disciplinary Conviction.
• Not eligible for 30 days from date of Class III or IV Disciplinary Conviction.
• No conviction(s) or pending felony or misdemeanor escape from confinement.
• No active pre-trial felony case(s).
• No active misdemeanor case (have not posted bond).
• No history of arrest or conviction on a sex offense.
• No conviction history of offenses against persons more violent than third degree assault. 
• No conviction history on a felony 1, 2, or 3.
• No felony weapons conviction.
• No Immigration holds.
• At least 60 days remaining on an El Paso County jail sentence.
• In accordance with Colorado Revised Statute 42-4-1307: “If the inmate is sentenced to a DUI, DUI Per Se and/or Habitual User charge with an offense date after 07/01/2012, the sentence will be reviewed for notes from the court stating which numbered alcohol offense the inmate is sentenced on. These notes will help determine if there is a ‘no wait’ for trusty status, 10-day, or 60-day mandatory incarceration period. Credit for time served does count towards the mandatory incarceration period.”