Sheriff asks commissioners for phased hires after jail population rises above capacity

Sheriff Van Shaw and Chief Deputy Burchett presented a year‑in‑review and the sheriff’s budget request, saying the county’s detention center has room but not the detention officers needed to reopen an additional housing pod.

Burchett said the county’s daily population recently reached 443 and has ranged as high as 480, forcing use of portable beds and creating security risks. She told the board that safely opening a new pod requires 16 detention officers; staff propose phasing hires (6 in September, 6 in October, 4 in November) to recruit, train and certify employees rather than rushing to staff a July 1 opening.

The sheriff’s office also described persistent budget pressure from inmate medical costs. Under the contract with Southern Health Partners, the county pays a per‑inmate per‑diem threshold that rises after specified daily population levels; Burchett said the county and vendor recently renegotiated that threshold from 400 to 430 inmates for FY27 to reduce per‑diem payments. She warned, however, that the county’s cost pool (medical expenditures above the contract threshold) remains highly unpredictable — one seriously ill inmate can add six‑figure costs.

Commissioners and the sheriff’s team also discussed state policy changes. Panel members blamed recent increases in detained individuals in part on a new bonding/placement law (referred to in the meeting as Irina/Irene’s law) that restricted some pretrial release options and moved costs to counties, and on backlogs at state adult correction facilities that delay transport of sentenced inmates.

Burchett said the sheriff’s office will continue to seek grant funding and legislative changes where possible but that operational staffing is the immediate ask. The board asked staff to provide detailed cost estimates and recruitment timelines to support budget decisions at upcoming work sessions.

The sheriff’s presentation also included operational highlights — narcotics seizures, school resource officer work, a human‑trafficking unit funded by the state, a real‑time information center for telecommunicators and detention programs including MAT and in‑house behavioral health support — which Burchett said underpin the office’s request.

The commission did not take a vote at the session; staff were directed to return with recruitment and budget detail at a scheduled follow up.