As the Denver Sheriff Department prepares to introduce a new way for inmates to communicate with their family and friends, the city’s police watchdog is raising questions about whether the department should reinstate face-to-face meetings at the jails. In-person visits better maintain family and community bonds, which, in turn, help inmates succeed once they are released from jail, independent monitor Nick Mitchell wrote last week in his 2017 semi-annual report. “The reasons to encourage in-person visitation — particularly between parents and children — are powerful,” Mitchell said. Read more on Colorado Springs Gazette