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Sagadahoc County sheriff reports long pretrial stays, applies for Lewiston tragedy overtime funds
Summary
Sheriff Mary told commissioners the countys jail has a high pretrial population and average pretrial stays of about 155 days; the sheriff said the county applied for roughly $48,100 from a $3 million state RFP to cover first-responder overtime tied to the Lewiston tragedy.
Sheriff Mary reported to the Sagadahoc County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 10 that jail operations continue to strain resources, highlighting long pretrial detention and a recent application for state funds tied to the Lewiston tragedy.
"There's 164 162, inmates," Sheriff Mary said when summarizing the jails current population, and added that average pretrial stays for inmates were "155 days," or nearly four months. She told the board that a backlog in case processing and court scheduling contributes to extended holds and that the county has limited ability to change court calendars.
The sheriff also described a state Request for Proposals that allocated $3,000,000 to cover overtime and time costs associated with the Lewiston tragedy, including initial response and search-and-apprehension phases. "We did apply for that, completed the grant. It was filed yesterday with the Department of Public Safety," she said, adding the county requested just under $48,100 to cover about 68 overtime hours. She cautioned the board that full reimbursement was not guaranteed and would depend on the number of applicants.
Commissioners asked whether domestic-violence arrests increased year over year; the sheriff said arrest counts remained "pretty consistent" though some categories rose in 2020 and 2021 and that final year-over-year statistics would be available next month.
Why it matters: Long pretrial stays can increase jail populations and operating costs and affect local budgets, while one-time grant funding for extraordinary events may not cover all overtime or fringe costs. The sheriff said the county will continue to pursue state funding but noted limits on local authority over court scheduling.
What's next: The county awaits any decision from the Department of Public Safety on the Lewiston-related RFP and expects a fuller jail metrics report when year-end statistics are compiled.
