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By Lisa Majors-Duff
While agreeing the final decision rests with the board of commissioners,
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe made his position clear: A fence
is required at the new jail for security reasons.
During a special session Tuesday (Sept. 22), commissioners, Sheriff
Ashe and jail architect Grant Tharp discussed what to do about
National Institute of Corrections findings announced last week.
NIC consultants Warren Cook and Grace Smith, who visited the detention
center at the sheriff's request, highlighted for board members
a possible violation of N.C. state statutes concerning the location
of the Magistrate's Office within the facility.
They also stressed the need for a security fence, which would
serve many purposes, including providing a temporary holding location
for jail inmates in case of an evacuation.
"I think there's an issue of concern for the community,"
Ashe told the board. "People eventually charged with first-degree
murder, manufacturing crystal methamphetamines and child molestation
start out in a county jail."
A May 2002 fire at the Mitchell County Jail claimed the lives
of eight inmates and increased concerns statewide about the safety
of prisoners in county facilities, Ashe said.
A fence would also serve to protect Sheriff's Office vehicles
stored near the jail, restrict free movement around the building
and provide a secure parking area for county officials, said Ashe.
Security fencing was not included in the design of the new jail
because the administration at the time decided to wait on its
installation, said Tharp, who pointed out that about 75 percent
of those involved in designing similar projects choose not to
install fences.
In fact, said board Chairman Stacy Buchanan, his support for the
project on the Justice Center campus was garnered by assurances
that a fence would not be needed.
"We could have decided to put the jail somewhere where it
would not have been seen if it needed a fence," Buchanan
said.
"It's a safety issue concerning escapes and evacuation,"
the sheriff said. "We have to run (the jail) safely for the
inmates, the staff and the community at large."
In response to Commissioner Roberta Crawford's question about
the number of escapes, Ashe said, "Just because it hasn't
happened, doesn't mean it won't. And if it does happen, we'll
have to deal with the aftermath."
"Still, I don't think we can take care of all the problems,"
Crawford said.
Commissioner Joe Cowan agreed.
"I can't believe we are talking about things that should
have been discussed a year ago," he said. "The jail
has met North Carolina standards. I agree with Roberta: We can't
straighten all these issues out."
After more than six on-site inspections dating back to May, state
officials last week approved the new facility, Tharp said. After
receiving a letter from his office with assurances that all final
issues have been addressed, the state should issue a certificate
of occupancy this week, he said.
"As quick as we get that CO, we want to get those prisoners
moved," Crawford told the sheriff. "You and your officers
are safer than you have ever been."
Board consensus to wait until the next budget year to consider
fencing, estimated at some $44,000, caused Sheriff Ashe to again
and more emphatically state his position.
"I am hereby putting you on notice: I think the fence needs
to be addressed now," he said.
"I am not going to put the safety of the citizens of this
county in jeopardy because of personal issues two county commissioners
have with me; therefore, I have placed the entire board of commissioners
on notice that I have requested the fence and other issues of
security be taken care of immediately, and if they choose not
to do so, then the liability is in their hand," Ashe said
after the meeting. "I have tried to serve the public in all
aspects of safety and securty, however, when it comes to financial
issues, it's up to the board of commissioners to allocate taxpayers'
dollars."
Moving on to the issue of the Magistrate's Office, board members
asked Tharp to investigate two possible solutions: video arrangement
or relocation of the office closer to the sally port, an enclosed
garage area for patrol cars.
According to the NIC consultants, walking an arrested person through
secure jail areas to the Magistrate's Office is a violation of
N.C. law, though such a concern was not cited by North Carolina
jail inspectors, Tharp said.
A person under arrest is not an inmate until ordered held by the
magistrate, Cook said last week, and therefore the current jail
design, which requires the arresting officer to walk a suspect
from the patrol car sally port through two secure doors before
reaching the Magistrate's Office could cause liability problems
for the county. Video arraignment or relocation of the office
should remedy the problem, all, including the sheriff, agreed.
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