Denver Sheriff Department employees have been quitting with a clear warning to city leaders: The jails are understaffed, and it’s putting deputies, civilian staff and inmates in danger, according to resignation letters obtained by Denverite.

The department, which Sheriff Elias Diggins calls “the largest mental health provider in the city and county of Denver,” only has 67 percent of its deputy positions filled.

The agency’s staffing level is far lower than those of other metro sheriff departments. And Denver’s other safety agencies — the police and fire departments — are close to fully staffed.

To understand the causes and impact of short staffing, Denverite examined more than 50 resignation letters and other documents, reviewed department data about jail deaths and staffing levels, and

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