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Knox County sheriff updates commissioners on jail population, staffing and new transport vehicle
Summary
Sheriff Dan told Knox County commissioners on Sept. 25 that the office is moving evidence to free a crime-lab space, is hiring a cook and additional deputies, has purchased a transport vehicle to move inmates and reported indictments in a jail assault; commissioners approved a letter of support for a river-rescue grant.
Sheriff Dan gave commissioners a wide-ranging operations update at the Sept. 25 Knox County commissioners meeting, reporting on facility renovations, staffing needs, jail population and safety measures.
Dan said the office has cleared items from a building behind the sheriff's office so a contractor can upgrade the space and free room currently occupied by evidence. "We have our Knox County sheriff with us, to share with us this morning," the chair said before turning the floor over to Dan, who described converting the currently occupied area to a crime lab once items are moved.
The sheriff outlined staffing needs and hiring progress. He said the department is "in the process of hiring a full-time cook. We need another control deputy and two more deputies." He also said six people applied for the cook position and one candidate has entered the hiring process.
Dan discussed a recent in-jail assault: the deputy who had been assaulted returned to work, and he said the inmate who assaulted that deputy and two other inmates were indicted on charges that include strangulation and multiple counts of assault. On population, the sheriff reported: "So right now, as of this morning, we have 65 males in the jail, 18 females, and 2 that's housed outside." He later told commissioners the average length of stay was about 11 days for females and 16 days for males.
The sheriff said the county purchased a transport vehicle to move inmates between facilities and to hospitals; the vehicle is being outfitted and is expected to be ready within about a month.
On public-safety equipment, the sheriff described pursuing a grant to acquire a shallow-water craft (an airboat-type vessel) to improve enforcement and search-and-rescue capability during low-water conditions and on busy weekends; he said the county plans to share use of that craft with local fire departments.
Commissioners added the sheriff's grant-support request to the agenda and approved a letter of support by motion.
What’s next: commissioners approved the letter and the sheriff said staffing and outfitting work will continue; no new policy or ordinance was proposed at the meeting.
