GREELEY -- The Weld County Sheriff's Office is giving folks a chance to take care of so-called "low-level" warrants through a new initiative.

It's called "Operation Reset."

"The county has seen since January 2020 a significant rise in the number of active warrants, primarily due to low bonds and softened arrest standards that were adopted statewide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic," said sheriff's office spokesman Joe Moylan.

At the end of last month, there were almost 6,600 active warrants, all of which were issued during the pandemic. Moylan said 920 were felonies and the remainder were for misdemeanors.

"Of the misdemeanor warrants, 4,299 were issued by the courts for failing to appear, and the vast majority of those are for failing to appear in traffic court," Moylan said. "The Weld County Sheriff’s Office understands – as is reflected in the data – most people with an
active warrant aren’t hardened, career criminals. Maybe you were furloughed or lost your job during the pandemic and didn’t think you could afford the traffic fine and court costs. Maybe you were avoiding public places for your family’s health and well-being. Maybe you simply forgot about that court date."

Moylan cautioned that deputies are again actively pursuing fugitives and taking them to jail.

"“It’s not worth missing work, potentially losing your job or having your kids placed with child protective services over a misdemeanor or traffic court warrant,” said Sean Standridge, sergeant of the Weld County Sheriff’s Office Strike Team. “In a lot of these cases we can get people into the jail, processed and on with their lives in just a couple of hours.”

Visit apps1.weldgov.com/sheriff/warrants/. If you would like to speak with a detective and arrange a time to turn yourself in, call the Weld County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Unit at 970-304-6565.