It's still more than a month away from service, but Cole County officials are eager to open a state-of-the-art jail and Sheriff's Deparment with tremendous capacity for expansion.
They shared that excitement today with members of the news media.
It has risen on half a square block, opposite the Courthouse in Downtown Jefferson City.The new jail provides enough beds for 180 prisoners.
Technology, including remotely controlled doors and more than two hundred surveillance cameras, will allow for a minimum security staff.
“That's five people on duty in the jail at all times,” Sheriff Greg White said.
A total staff of about 40, including part-time employees will man the jail.
“The sheriff's been a great partner in coming up with a budget that's sustainable but also allows us to be able to staff the facility on a 24-7, 365-day a year basis,” Presiding Commissioner Marc Ellinger said.
Everything here is high tech, from the retinal scan identification computers that will be tapped by police agencies statewide, to the washing machines that program themselves at the touch of a button. A video link to the courthouse will cut inmate transportation costs.
“There's a court decision out there that says you can't co-locate a courtroom, an actual full courtroom, in a jail, because you start losing the presumption of innocence,” White said.
White said the current jail population will fill half the available beds. Unused beds will be leased to the justice department for federal detainees. And there is a lot of unfinished space – enough to double the size of the jail if needed.
“I think we have a good facility here. It's a facility that not only addresses the immediate concerns, but it works for a long time in the future,” Ellinger said. “And i think that's one of the most important factors that we've done here.”
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