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| Sheriff closes jail |
| By KXLY News |
| Published: 06/22/2006 |
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LEWIS COUNTY, ID - The Lewis County Jail is no longer accepting inmates. Not because its overcrowded, but because Lewis County Sheriff Phil Steen closed the doors and turned out the lights at the Nez Perce facility. The decision to close the jail was due to staffing shortages. As of last week Steen had two employees to staff the jail. Another employee is on sick leave and another is in training. There are no inmates left behind bars. They were moved out on Friday after Steen made the decision to close the jail Thursday. Steen doesn't expect them to return until August and said he'll only reopen when he's fully staffed, which would be five full-time employees. "The impact is going to be pretty significant, Steen said. "It was a terribly difficult decision." Steen said it will take an additional $300,000 to get qualified employees and keep them in Lewis County -- money the county doesn't have. Lewis County Commissioner LeAnn Trautman said with fixed property values the most the county can get next year is an additional $36,000. Most of the 12 inmates in the 18-bed jail were taken to Idaho County. Others were taken to Clearwater. Steen acknowledged he's asking a lot and until there is a solution, Steen said arrests won't stop but deputies will have to be more selective. "We still have deputies out there patrolling," Steen said. "Just because we don't have a jail doesn't mean we won't arrest you" |
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