Commissioners authorize inmate‑housing agreement with North Las Vegas; sheriff reports increase in calls, recapture of escaped inmate

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted June 2 to approve a proposed agreement with the City of North Las Vegas to temporarily house some of that city’s inmates at the county facility, with a target start date of July 1, 2025, subject to receipt of a final written agreement with signature lines and verification of the start date.

Sheriff Derek Foremaster told commissioners the arrangement would typically cover summer months. He said the county will not accept inmates with current medical issues after the parties meet with medical staff, and that the draft terms place medical responsibility for housed inmates with Lincoln County under Section 2b; Section 4a in the draft would require the county to transfer inmates to and from court at the county’s expense. Foremaster said transfers likely would occur about once per week assuming the projected population levels. The draft also contemplates that any crimes committed in Lincoln County while an NLV inmate is housed here would be the county’s responsibility for prosecution and sentences associated with any county crimes would be carried out after the North Las Vegas sentence is complete. Commissioner Mike Reese raised whether the contract could extend up to six years; county staff said that was possible under the draft language.

The Board voted to approve the contract language as presented and to authorize a commissioner to sign the agreement when a final written contract is provided and the start date is verified; the motion passed unanimously.

In his departmental report Foremaster said calls and arrests rose in May and that the sheriff’s office will advertise to hire two corrections officers previously approved by the Board. He reported an inmate who escaped during work time has been recaptured and said the department will conduct an internal investigation into the circumstances. Foremaster also said he met with the Community Coalition to discuss local drug problems and that the department will continue work addressing substance‑use issues.

No fiscal terms of the contract were presented at the June 2 meeting; commissioners approved the agreement contingent on receiving the final written contract.