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Delaware County jail warden reports staff death, declining population and multi-year infrastructure projects
Summary
Warden Williams told the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board that the facility lost Chief Deputy Warden Adam Smith, reported a slight decline in population, and outlined ongoing HVAC, roof and security upgrades including plans to convert a housing unit to a behavioral health and reentry unit.
Warden Williams told the Delaware County Jail Oversight Board on the facility's April agenda that the jail had lost Chief Deputy Warden Adam Smith, described the officer's long corrections career and said the agency has received support from state correctional partners and professional associations.
Williams said the facility's population was 1,059 as of the morning of the meeting, a decline of 43 from the prior month, and noted that a lower population helps operations while the jail undergoes multiple capital projects. He also reported 516 commitments and 528 discharges in the most recent reporting period and described the weekender program: 18 participants last month (12 first-timers; six female).
Why it matters: the combination of staffing losses, changing population composition and major facility work can affect security, programming and clinical care inside a county correctional facility.
Williams described ongoing construction and planned upgrades: active HVAC work inside the secure facility, a recent heavy crane lift to replace HVAC units, a pending larger security-systems project and a planned farm-shop roof repair for which the county is coordinating mobilization. He said the agency will not have people living or staff working in areas without working circulating air and that communications to the public and staff will be made in advance when work affects visits or movement.
Williams said the agency is exploring environmental changes informed by visits to SCI Chester and Scandinavian-inspired design elements intended to "soften" the environment where feasible. He said the jail will convert one housing unit into a behavioral health and reentry unit toward the end of the construction sequence; the unit will provide structured programming, discharge planning and skills-building targeted at stabilizing people in crisis and supporting reintegration to community providers, other county or state placements, or general population when appropriate.
Board members and the executive director praised county staff and correctional project leads for ongoing planning, which Williams and others described as a multi-year process that prioritizes maintaining security while sequencing repairs and upgrades.
Ending: Williams said the farm-shop roof mobilization should be confirmed within weeks and that the board would receive updates on project progress at future meetings.
