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Sheriff outlines jail pressures as inmate counts rise; dispatch/costs flagged
Summary
The sheriff reported rising inmate numbers and pressures on jail capacity and transport revenue sources; commissioners discussed inmate holds, external revenue from DOC and Marshall contracts, and dispatch/CAD costs under review.
The sheriff presented a consolidated sheriff's office budget and highlighted rising calls for service and an inmate population that temporarily exceeded capacity. He said the county currently houses a mix of local holds, highway-patrol holds and Department of Corrections holds and that changes in state policy could shift costs to counties.
The sheriff said Marshall and DOC holds produce revenue but at rates that may not fully cover the county's costs; he also flagged cyber-security and CAD/dispatch subscription costs as rising budget items. Commissioners asked for a clearer marketing or outreach plan to retain outside bookings that generate revenue and pressed the sheriff's office to report on expected inmate-hold revenues and projected costs for transporting DOC/DOC-hold inmates.
"We're the 9th largest county in the state of South Dakota, and the lake area is...an attraction," the sheriff said while explaining seasonal call increases and jail demand. Commissioners agreed to review detention and transport revenues as part of the county's revenue projection work before the provisional budget.
