Spencer County Fiscal Court adopts required inmate transportation plan

Spencer County Fiscal Court adopted a formal inmate transportation plan on March 2, specifying which county officials will be responsible for transporting inmates and setting procedures for court, juvenile and mental-health transports.

The resolution, required by state law, designates the Spencer County Sheriff or the sheriff's designee to take custody of arrests lodged outside the county for transport to the contracted detention facility and names the Spencer County Jailer as responsible for transporting inmates arrested within the county to that facility. The plan also requires the sheriff or designee to provide transports for county court appearances for inmates lodged outside the contracted facility, and assigns juvenile transports to the jailer. For mental-health transports, the resolution states the responding agency should arrange transport or coordinate with the jailer.

The court discussed the legal basis for the plan at the meeting; the resolution cites KRS 441.505 and KRS 441.510 as authorizing the fiscal court to adopt a reasonable transportation plan and to assign responsibility for inmate transport. The measure passed by voice vote with all members present voting "aye."

Judge Executive John Riley presented the measure as part of new business and attested to the need for a plan because Spencer County does not have a local jail. The resolution includes a clause that conflicts with earlier ordinances or parts thereof are repealed to the extent of conflict and takes effect upon passage.

The court recorded no supplemental conditions or timetable for implementation beyond the assignment of duties and the statement that the resolution is effective upon passage.