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Potter County court raises alarm over jail overcrowding, asks state for pickup help
Summary
Potter County commissioners heard jail and criminal-justice updates Tuesday, noting 627 people in the county jail (94 females) and ongoing delays in state pickup and parole holds. Commissioners asked the county judge to seek assistance from state authorities; no formal county action was taken.
Potter County Commissioners heard an extended briefing Tuesday on jail population and state coordination after officials said 627 people were in the county jail, including 94 women. The court heard repeated concerns that a significant share of the county’s overcrowding stems from state-level delays in picking up “paper ready” inmates and processing parole holds.
Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney representatives outlined how the state transfer process creates bottlenecks. The sheriff told the court the state’s transport schedule is regular but constrained, noting the state “pick[s] up 1,000 inmates every Tuesday” statewide, and that how many are taken from Potter County varies week to week. County officials said about 94 inmates were being held in a paper-ready status at a recent count, and commissioners pressed for clearer data and faster pickups. The District Attorney said the county had asked state officials for help and reported a one-time emergency pickup offer by state classification staff (an ad-hoc 40-inmate pickup) that could be used if the county faces an immediate crisis.
Commissioners discussed, without taking formal action, steps the county judge might take to press state agencies for more frequent pickups or faster parole hearings. The court also discussed long‑range capital options and staffing pressures for the jail; officials said constructing a new county detention facility would be years away and not a near-term solution.
