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Washington County sheriff outlines jail capacity, staffing and program expansions; Hillsborough council asks about local impacts
Summary
Sheriff Massey told Hillsborough council that jail capacity has been reduced by closed housing units amid staffing shortages, described capital repairs and a countywide mental‑health co‑response expansion, and said staff are preparing polling and interagency work ahead of a public safety local option levy.
Washington County Sheriff Massey delivered an annual update to the Hillsborough City Council, summarizing the sheriff’s statutory responsibilities, jail operations, interagency teams and planning for the future.
Jail capacity, capital work and staffing: Massey said the county operates the region’s only jail and noted staffing shortages have forced the closure of housing units, reducing the jail’s available capacity. He outlined planned capital improvements to the law enforcement center, including a new courtroom, roof and HVAC replacement, fire‑alarm upgrades and domestic water system work; staff estimated completion of those projects by roughly summer 2026. He also said county leadership has set aside funding for those improvements and that the county has received a $750,000 grant for expanded pretrial electronic home‑monitoring that will allow 24/7 monitoring in‑house rather than vendor overnight coverage.
Mental‑health response and interagency teams: Undersheriff Cook described the county’s mental health response teams—a model that pairs a clinician with a deputy—and said the county has expanded from a single team to eight teams to provide seven‑day coverage during peak hours. He said the teams work across municipal boundaries, including Hillsborough, and coordinate with Washington County Behavioral Health and community providers to divert people in crisis out of the justice system when appropriate.
Narcotics and specialized units: The sheriff highlighted a west‑side interagency narcotics task force (including federal partners) that conducted large seizures and that the county also fields tactical negotiation, SWAT, remotely operated vehicle and incident management teams; the sheriff said those teams jointly respond to more than 100 calls a year.
Planning, capacity study and levy: Massey said the county engaged a firm to study jail capacity needs through 2055 and that planning continues for a public safety local option levy expected to appear on the November ballot next year; staff said polling and stakeholder outreach are underway to inform the levy scope and cost. He emphasized partnerships with the district attorney, juvenile services and community corrections in shaping levy messaging and program design.
Council questions and follow‑up: Council members pressed for details about program growth barriers (funding and workforce shortages), recidivism comparisons with other Oregon counties (the sheriff said he would provide the data later), and whether home monitoring costs will be borne by people on release (the sheriff said bringing monitoring in‑house should allow the county to absorb some vendor costs). The sheriff also described efforts to assign a deputy to housing outreach and to strengthen community advisory councils to improve communication with historically marginalized residents.
Ending: Sheriff Massey described short‑term staffing and infrastructure steps, framed the levy as part of a broader planning effort to match capacity to community needs out to mid‑century, and offered to return with further details and the requested recidivism comparisons.
