Jail Renovation Stopgap for Growing Prisoner Population

By Steve Caraway
THE MORNING NEWS
SPRINGDALE -- A $50,000 renovation to Springdale's jail will only be a stopgap, if the city joins a program to check the legal status of aliens.

Police Chief Kathy O'Kelley told members of the City Council's Police and Fire Committee the renovations are needed, but the requirements of the 287(g) program could swamp even a renovated jail.

"We could investigate up to 500 a year," O'Kelley said. "That's on top of a daily average jail population that is larger than our number of beds."

Lt. Richard Farris presented a program which lobbied for changes in the police station to make the jail more secure, and present a better face to the public. The renovation would cost about $50,000, which is in this year's police budget.

The biggest concern for the department, Farris said, was the handling of prisoners. The booking process takes place in the middle of most of the activity in the station.

The prisoners have access to civilian employees, armed officers and unlocked doors leading to public areas and exits.

"Any time a prisoner has access to civilians or to escape, you have a recipe for disaster," O'Kelley said.

The renovation would create a new booking area, off the jail cells. A new access to the courts would be added, with more security than the present system.

The jailers no longer would be responsible for contact with the public, with a uniformed officer stationed at a reconfigured front desk.

"We want to present our best face to the public," O'Kelley said. "Now, the jailer has to run back and forth."

The renovations also would repair cell bathrooms and add an additional bathroom for prisoners going through the booking process.

The influx of prisoners from the 287(g) program would add to a jail population which averages 14 prisoners in a space designed for 12. Prisoners on felony charges are sent to the Washington County Detention Center, but misdemeanor offenders waiting for bail or trial and those sentence to jail time by the judge stay in Springdale.

"We have to access the prisoners every day," Farris said. "We don't want to turn loose any domestic violence suspects. Some of the others we have to release because we don't have the space."

The city bought the old Allen Canning building more than a year ago, with the idea of moving the jail. Doubling or tripling the capacity of the jail would be wise, O'Kelley said.

"My experience with building jails is 'if you build it, prisoners will come,'" O'Kelley said.

Using the Springdale jail as a north booking station for the county has been discussed, O'Kelley said. The prisoners would be ferried every eight hours or so to the county jail.

"That would make sense," O'Kelley said. "All of the law enforcement agencies in the area work well together."

The renovations would require waiving competitive bidding, since only one building contractor and one plumbing contractor expressed and interest in the project. The committee voted to forward the request to the full council with a recommendation for approval.

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/ ... szjail.txt