Springs to pay tens of thousands in settlement with ACLU over ‘debtors jail’ practice

The City of Colorado Springs has settled with the American Civil Liberties Union over its former practice of jailing people who could not afford to pay fines.

Under the settlement, the city will pay the ACLU’s four clients $13,250 each for the time they spent jailed under the now prohibited practice.

The City is also offering to pay $125 per day served to anyone else who was previously jailed under the practice. People who may be eligible for compensation will receive a letter in the mail. The City will also use local service providers, the municipal court and the police department’s Homeless Outreach Team to contact people who may qualify. The ACLU says 62 people will be affected.

Qualifying individuals will have until December 31, 2016 or two years from the date of incarceration, whichever is later, to request payment.

Colorado Springs will also pay the ACLU’s attorney’s fees, which total $52,159.18.

The ACLU says that the city will pay a total of $103,000 under the settlement.

Finally, The City has agreed to create a training program on this topic, which will be mandatory for all prosecutors, judges and contract defense attorneys. The ACLU will work with the city to create the program and provide training.

“We were pleased with the process of working together with the ACLU to make our judicial processes better and to ensure we are in alignment with the law,” said Mayor John Suthers. “While we admittedly found some areas that required correction, I am pleased to report that our Municipal Court, City attorneys and Councilmembers worked expeditiously to correct the situation upon learning of the non-compliance, he said.”

Bobby Fairchild has lived on the streets for the last eight years and believes the settlement is long overdue.

“Just now in 2016, they’re starting to pay people? At least now their using some common sense and showing some respect,” Fairchild said.