New state-of-the-art detention center opens in southern Colorado

On Thursday, officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of a new state-of-the-art detention center in southern Colorado.

The new facility, located at 3830 Medal of Honor Blvd. in Pueblo, replaced the deteriorating and overcrowded jail on Court Street.

The Pueblo County Sheriff's office says the new jail includes 627 beds, 150 more than the previous facility. It also includes a medical clinic and infirmary, as well as a full-service kitchen, laundry facilities and areas for inmate programs.

"This amazing facility represents a major step forward for public safety in Pueblo County," said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero. "It gives our staff the safe and modern environment that they deserve and provides better living conditions for the individuals in our custody. This is a modern facility built for today's demands."

The sheriff's office said the new jail is positioned to become the first net-zero-energy jail in the country, thanks to a planned solar array.

Authorities will begin moving inmates and operations to the new facility over the coming weeks. The existing jail will then be decommissioned.