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Warren County sheriff says lockup is turning away some detainees while staffing and supervision rules change
Summary
Sheriff Jim LaFarr told supervisors the county police lockup has turned away certain detainees temporarily because changes in state supervision requirements (constant vs. active supervision) have increased staffing burdens; he offered to discuss details after the meeting and said the office provides centralized arraignment services for multiple agencies.
Warren County Sheriff Jim LaFarr told the Board of Supervisors the county police lockup has temporarily refused some detainees who present heightened medical or self-harm risks because state regulations and Commission of Corrections guidance have raised supervision requirements.
"There are 2 levels of supervision and corrections... active supervision, which can be done remotely with 30 minute checks or 15 minute checks depending on the detainee. And there's constant supervision, which requires an officer to sit physically... nonstop for the entire time that they're detained," LaFarr said. He said that for detainees who present risks (for example, risk of self-harm or being medically at risk from drug ingestion), the lockup is not accepting them during a narrow window between detention and arraignment when constant supervision would be required.
LaFarr said the change is driven by New York State legislative and Commission of Corrections requirements, not a county policy change, and that it places staffing strain on the corrections unit. He described long-standing centralized arraignment practices the county provides for the sheriff's office, city police and state police at the county facility and said the sheriff's office has been absorbing that service at no charge for partner agencies.
The sheriff offered to take questions and to provide follow-up conversations outside the meeting for supervisors seeking more detail. County leaders acknowledged the operational strain and noted mandated overtime in the corrections unit.
Why it matters: Changes in supervision rules affect whether the county can accept detainees from partner agencies during short windows before arraignment, with potential operational effects on staffing, costs and interagency arrangements. The sheriff's remarks signal continuing operational pressure on corrections staff and open a path for supervisors to seek further details or regional coordination.
