Douglas County Corrections reports rising admissions, staffing changes and education gaps; plans mental-health unit for late 2026
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Summary
Director Michael Myers told the Board of Corrections that December admissions increased and the average daily population rose, while the department faces overtime costs and an education wait list; Heather Robinson reported 60% IEP eligibility among those 22 and under and directors outlined plans for a mental-health housing unit slated for late 2026.
Douglas County Director of Corrections Michael Myers presented the department’s December report Jan. 27, outlining increased admissions, staffing turnover, medical and mental-health caseloads, and education capacity constraints.
Myers told commissioners the department processed 1,263 admissions in December and 16,377 for calendar year 2025 — about 1,000 more admissions than recent years. The jail’s average daily population was 1,112. He said December overtime totaled $296,915 and that bond payments of roughly $760,000 were processed by records staff. Myers said eight officers below sergeant and two sergeants left employment in December, including three retirements, and 26 cadets began academy training Jan. 5.
On pretrial services and programs, Myers reported that pretrial release placements totaled 238 for the month and that pretrial supervision theoretically saved the county an estimated $682,210 in detention costs in December. He also said 172 individuals were supervised via GPS monitors and work release, house arrest and reentry programs contributed to bed-day savings.
Heather Robinson, educational and vocational services supervisor, summarized a semiannual census of people age 22 and under: of the 170 identified in the facility, 152 were available for interview; 80 had not graduated from high school or earned a GED, 75 had graduated, and five completed credentials while incarcerated. Robinson said about 60% of the 22-and-under cohort appear to be eligible for individualized education program (IEP) services and described how educational services are coordinated between the county and local school districts. She said GED class capacity is constrained by having a single instructor and estimated the average wait to enter GED classes is three to four months unless additional instructional capacity is added.
Myers also reported medical and mental-health activity: 1,048 intake screenings, 429 physical assessments, 22 emergent medical transports in December with nine hospitalizations totaling 31 hospital days; 151 initial psychiatric assessments; 387 mental-health assessments; 105 individuals placed on suicide precautions; and 160 placed on detox protocols. He noted Lincoln Regional Center had 20 individuals placed there and a wait list of 14.
Security and staff safety topics included multiple deployments of the Crisis Negotiation Team and the CERT team, 13 area searches recovering contraband, and multiple staff injuries tied to assaults, use-of-force and training incidents. Myers said operational planning is underway for a mental-health housing unit expected to open in late 2026, covering staffing, medical and mental-health resources, programming, and security needs.
Commissioners asked about GED wait lists, racial composition (the jail population was reported as 66% minority with 44% Black), budget impacts from infrastructure projects, and whether expanding instructional staff is feasible. Robinson and Myers said adding another instructor is a primary lever to reduce the wait list and that operational turnover limits complete census efforts.
During public comment, Larry Storer urged the county to address perceived system failures in mental-health care, saying his relative was not afforded appropriate services and that he had contacted the attorney general about the case.
The Board of Corrections concluded with a motion to adjourn that passed 7-0.
