Patrick Firman To Step Down As Denver Sheriff On Oct. 15

DENVER (CBS4) - Denver Sheriff Patrick Firman will resign from his position effective Oct. 15, according to city officials. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, two sources briefed on the situation told CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass that the city will name an interim sheriff from within the Denver Sheriff Department.

"For the past four years, Sheriff Firman has taken on the challenge of driving and implementing one of the most complex and critical reform efforts any of our safety departments has ever attempted. Undertaking a cultural shift of this magnitude is never easy, but the Sheriff never wavered in his commitment to implementing these needed reforms," Mayor Hancock said. "Sheriff Firman has weathered criticism, fair and unfair, over his tenure at the department, but he remained dedicated his personal commitment to corrections reform, equity, ethical leadership and a passion for serving the people of Denver. He is a loyal and dedicated public servant, and a compassionate and humane man working in an environment where both qualities are sorely needed."

Firman was appointed Sheriff in Oct. 2015, when he arrived from Illinois.

"When I came here four years ago, it was to take action on over 400 reform recommendations that touched nearly every aspect of the Denver Sheriff Department. With the help of our partners and the tireless efforts of staff, we were successful in implementing those changes," Sheriff Firman said. "It has been an honor to serve with these amazing men and women. I wish them the best as they continue to move forward."

During his leadership, Firman implemented a new Use of Force Policy, mandatory Crisis Intervention Training for all deputies and a new Denver Sheriff Department employee wellness program. The department also faced controversy, after an inmate gave birth inside a jail cell in 2018 and filed a lawsuit, claiming medical and jail staff violated her rights.

The Denver Sheriff Department has about 1,000 employees overseeing the downtown jail and the county jail. Deputies also provide court security and transport inmates.