Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Corrections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Riley County jail holding 141 inmates; major warns capacity and staffing are strained
Summary
Riley County Police Department Major Mark French reported the jail population at 141 — above the 120 threshold for proper classification — cited 27 female inmates in a facility sized for about 18 and said staffing vacancies and off‑site housing are being used while the department works with courts and HR to address shortages.
Mark French, major with the Riley County Police Department's jail division, told the Commission the county jail is operating over recommended classification capacity and that corrections staffing is strained.
"Today, this morning, we're at a 141," French said, adding that the jail loses the ability to perform classification properly when the population rises above about 120. He said the facility is currently housing 27 females in spaces designed for fewer (the jail was described as designed to hold about 18 females) and is operating short of its corrections‑officer allotment, with five vacancies and an operational shortfall of roughly nine officers from the authorized 37.
French said the department has suspended work release when it would extend inmates' time in custody and is housing six inmates off‑site, with that number expected to increase. He described operational steps to reduce costs — including switching laundry services to a local provider with projected savings of about 40% — and said he had invited department heads to tour the jail to increase understanding of budget pressures tied to the facility.
French said medical and supplies costs, such as rubber gloves, have risen significantly (he cited a projected 50–80% increase for gloves) and called attention to the budget strain that results from such cost increases. He said he will provide more detail to the Commission on a requested capital/improvement issue if the county's CIP process is available this year.
What happens next: French said the department is pursuing hiring actions, working with HR and coordinating with courts to manage custody durations; commissioners did not take further action during the meeting but heard the recap as part of routine departmental reporting.
