Commissioners find good, bad points with new jail
|
And there have been as county commissioners on the Jail Oversight Committee discovered during a tour of the new jail Tuesday afternoon.
For the most part, however, commissioners gave the new jail glowing reviews and were quick to dismiss any early struggles as simple growing pains.
After a thorough tour, Commissioner Gary Prater said if he had to grade the jail, he would give it an A. Commissioner Herschel Wells was also well satisfied and said early problems are more a matter of needing to “make adjustments.”
Commissioner George Smartt was quick to praise an elaborate camera system that’s supposed to allow jail employees to view virtually every portion of the facility where prisoners have access.
“The cameras are a real upgrade from where we used to be,” said Smartt. “Everything that happens is being recorded. If an inmate were to beat up another inmate, for example, it’s all recorded.”
While great in theory, commissioners also discovered the cameras are presenting some problems. Glare from bright overhead lights washed out images from some cameras. And five out of six cameras weren’t working in one main cell area called a pod. This creates a major blind spot where inmates can go and not be seen by guards.
Jail supervisor Eddie Knowles, who gave commissioners their tour, said he was grateful to be out of the old jail, but admitted the transition has been difficult. He said the new jail has much more territory to cover and finding enough manpower is a constant battle. Knowles also said there are problems with the cell doors themselves, which can be opened automatically from the male and female control towers.
“We have a $1,000 door with a 50-cent sensor and that’s creating some problems,” said Knowles.
Commissioners are also concerned with the commodes, which are experiencing some trouble flushing, and with the overall cleanliness of the jail, which is already accumulating piles of trash in some spots.
And, believe it or not, there is already an overcrowding issue. “We don’t have but about four or five empty beds for the men,” said Knowles.
There are currently around 150 men and 30 women housed at the jail. An additional 60 beds will be available in around a year when renovation work is complete on the old jail.
“We’re having to get by until the other jail is complete,” said Wells.
Commissioners thanked Knowles for honestly telling them the good and bad points of the new jail. They seemed eager to correct any problems to make the facility run more smoothly.