Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Corrections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sheriff reports elevated jail population; ICE presentation on federal detainee housing planned
Summary
Sheriff Joel Merry reported higher-than-normal Sagadahoc inmate counts and said the Jail Authority will soon hear from ICE about possibly housing federal arrestees under a long-term contract.
Sheriff Joel Merry told commissioners that Sagadahoc currently has about 30 local inmates — above the mid-20s normal for the county — and that the in-house population at the Two Bridges Regional Jail (TBRJ) is 159, which includes federal inmates and boarders from other counties.
Merry said some pre-sentenced detainees have been held at TBRJ for lengthy periods and that the Jail Authority will receive a presentation from Immigration Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol on housing arrestees with federal charges as part of discussions about a possible long-term contract. He described that contract discussion as ongoing and framed it as a potential way to address budget shortfalls at the jail.
Merry also reported Richmond calls for service were down about 15% from the prior month and explained that "public service" calls encompass school visitations, community outreach and event coverage.
No contract action or vote occurred at the meeting; commissioners were informed of the scheduled ICE presentation and the current jail population figures.
