Background

County governments are responsible for providing security at state court facilities but the level of funding and services that each county can offer varies greatly throughout Colorado. To address local funding shortfalls, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 07-118 (codified in Section 13-1-201, et seq., C.R.S.) to create the seven-member Court Security Cash Fund Commission (Commission), Court Security Cash Fund (Fund), and an associated grant program. Monies flow into the Fund from legislative appropriations and a surcharge on docket and jury fees for specified civil, criminal, probate, and other court filings and penalties. 

Grant Program

The State Court Administrator is responsible for awarding grants from the Fund based upon the Commission's recommendations and subject to annual appropriations by the General Assembly. Grants provide supplemental funding for ongoing security staffing in counties with the most limited financial resources as well as monies for equipment, training, and emergency security needs. Grants may be used for the following purposes:

• Supplemental court security staffing at facilities containing a state court or probation office
• Security equipment or related structural improvements for facilities containing a state court or probation office
• Training for local security teams on issues of court security
• Miscellaneous funding needs associated with issues of court security or security equipment
• Emergency needs related to issues of court security

Statutes further establish a priority system for awarding grants based first on need and then to fulfill funding requests for personnel costs. Counties seeking need-based grants must meet at least two of the following four criteria to be designated as highest priority for funding: 

• Total population is below the state median.
• Per capita income is below the state median.
• Property tax revenues are below the state median.
• Population below the federal poverty line is greater than the state median.

The Commission can also award grants to address emergency needs at any time during the fiscal year. Emergency grant applications can be submitted via the Department's online grant management system, AmpliFund, using the link in the "Special Announcements" section below.

Direct any questions about Court Security Cash Fund Commission grants to:

Grants Specialist

Office of the State Court Administrator

1300 Broadway, Suite 1200, Denver, Colorado 80203

CourtSecurityGrants@judicial.state.co.us | 720-625-5841