Sheriff implements tighter safety procedures at county's 40-year-old jail

Precautions implemented in wake of Mitchell County tragedy

By Lynn Hotaling

Jackson County Sheriff Jim Cruzan told The Herald Tuesday that he has instituted the new procedures after learning of the fire at the Mitchell County Jail that left eight prisoners dead. News reports indicate that obsolete doors and poor ventilation in the outdated facility contributed to the high death toll.

"We're in the same state here," Cruzan said, referring to the local jail, which has been declared unsafe by state inspectors.

The 40-year-old jail has faced state and Grand Jury mandates for improvement since the 1980s, Cruzan said. County commissioners borrowed funds in 1999 to replace the current jail with a modern facility.

A new jail is currently under construction adjacent to the Justice Center and is scheduled to open in August.

The Mitchell County tragedy alarmed him, Cruzan said.

"If I were to sit back and just wait, something could happen here," Cruzan said. "I'm not immune from disaster."

Terming the Mitchell fire a "wake-up call," the sheriff said he has already put stricter procedures into effect and plans to discuss other options with Sylva Fire Chief Mike Beck.

Sheriff Cruzan has hired part-time personnel as night fire watchmen, he said, and has placed daytime personnel on a heightened alert.

"Most of the people in our jail are there for misdemeanors," Cruzan said. "They deserve protection. To do anything else would be negligent, and I'm not going to be negligent - I'm going to do everything I can do to protect them."

Concerns about fire safety should be alleviated in the county's new jail, Cruzan said.

"(Safety) won't be much of a problem then," Cruzan said. "We'll have a modern facility with automated doors and vents to remove smoke."

Back to Archive: 05/09/02.