WIUM Local
(2008-09-09)
The jail has been near its capacity of 53 during recent weekends and exceeded capacity by three this past weekend.
Sheriff Rick VanBrooker projects his jail food costs will be $20,000 over budget, topping $100,000. He's required to serve inmates three meals per day, including at least one hot meal. The sheriff says costs for jail laundry are also rising.
But VanBrooker's biggest concern is safety. He says the crowded conditions make it tough both for his employees and for inmates.
VanBrooker says there are several reasons why there are so many inmates. He says more drug dealers are being arrested. He says those cases take more time to work through the court system. VanBrooker says burglary arrests are also up. In addition, at least seven people convicted of crimes are serving weekend sentences.
You can listen to an interview with McDonough County Sheriff Rick VanBrooker by clicking on the audio button.
Additional information:
*VanBrooker presented the information to the County Board's Law & Legal Committee during its monthly meeting.
*Also during its meeting, the committee endorsed a resolution to show support for the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms. The full County Board will consider the resolution during its monthly meeting on September 17.
*VanBrooker says he graduated from Northwestern University's Center for Public Safety. He says the program provides upper-level college instruction in topics such as management theory, organizational behavior, and budgeting. © Copyright 2009, wium
