Jacob Monroe

Jacob Monroe has been a licensed bail bonding agent since 1994.

In 1998, having a desire to teach, he began The Rocky Mountain Academy of Bail Bonding & Fugitive Recovery. His school offers the training required for individuals wishing to become bail bonding agents in Colorado, and is certified by the State of Colorado as an approved provider.

When asked what drew him to bail bonding, he responded that he saw an ad and fit the qualifications perfectly. The ad said, No experience required. 'Because I had no experience, it was a perfect fit,' he stated. 'I wanted to work with individuals in trouble, if in any way I could help direct them away from a life of crime,' continued Agent Monroe. 'Having myself walked the streets as a young man caught up in drugs and crime, I thought helping someone else would be a good way to live.'

'Too often individuals caught up in the drug culture and crime cannot see their way out. I was like that as a young man until one day a sudden fear came over me that I could not explain. That fear, by the grace of God, turned my life around. So I know the power of fear to change, to change for good.

'By the time I saw the bail bonding agent wanted ad, my life on the streets was over twenty years behind me and so Colorado allowed me the opportunity to get a bail bonding license; to begin a new journey. I will always be grateful to Colorado for the laws that allow reformed individuals and ex cons to begin a new life. This is an important part of the rehabilitation process, the giving of hope and a new life.'

'And all these things made bail bonding a perfect fit for me.'

As for chasing fugitives, many bail bonding agents hire fugitive recovery agents to track down and capture their bail jumpers and fugitives, but Agent Monroe has always gone after his own. 'From day one, I was given a pair of cuffs and told I may need to arrest my clients if they failed to appear in court or violate bail bond conditions, so I have. Having already lived the street life, I felt that maybe I had an edge in seeking them out and in understanding them.'

In tracking fugitives, Agent Monroe has worked throughout the Rocky Mountain region and across America from Washington State to Massachusetts and all places in between tracking, capturing, and returning to jail, criminal suspects on the run from the law. 'I like the travel and the challenge. However, the real reward is giving every fugitive a chance to begin again. As long as they are on the run, they won't change. Once caught, their life is put on pause. I always hope that Pause is long enough to let them review and rethink life. Maybe then they will see a way forward without crime or hurting others. Maybe then they will want to change.'

In writing, On The Run In America, Agent Monroe wanted to share the truth of bail bonding and fugitive recovery with the average individual on the street. 'There's a lot of false narratives making the rounds,' says Agent Monroe. 'People often picture a bail agent as a big fat man with a cigar in his mouth counting stacks of cash. That just isn't so. Bail Bonding Agents come in all sizes, male and female, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian and are professionals in a sometimes dangerous field where life and death are regular customers. These agents and the fugitive recovery agents who operate across the nation are some of the bravest, most dedicated individuals I have ever met. So I thought I would share a few of their stories and teach the public the truth about bail bonding. Unfortunately critics of bail prefer soundbites to honest dialogue. I hope this book sets some of the record straight.'

When questioned why the names of each individual within the stories are not given, Agent Monroe explained that the purpose of the book is not to set up a hero or glorify one particular individual. 'All across the country, where bail bonding agents and fugitive recovery agents operate, stories are being written of courage and justice in an often dangerous enterprise. I did not wish to take away from these brave individuals by selecting one above the others. Each story is true and was selected to help teach and show the public just what we do and the value of commercial bail within the justice system. I wanted to share with them the truth.'

And so, On The Run In America is the story of bail bonding and fugitive recovery, a glimpse into their lives as they seek fugitives on the run and operate as an arm of the justice system, albeit a private one.