Open House For New Jail In Georgia
Roughly 350 visitors took a first look at the new Baldwin County GA Law Enforcement Center on Sunday afternoon. As reported by the Baldwin Bulletin.
The new $13 million-plus facility … is scheduled to open on March 2. The jail, itself, is designed in an octagonal shape with eight pods surrounding a guard tower/command center. Each of the eight two-story pods consists of 18 two-bed cells. The command center is fitted with a touchscreen system that allows guards to control everything from the locks, lights, water and even the televisions. Many other upgrades are evident when comparing the new jail to the current
jail on Linda Drive. The booking area and holding cells are significantly more spacious. The kitchen and laundry areas also are much larger and better equipped. The new jail features six “medical isolation” cells for inmates who are quarantined with communicable diseases. Also featured are separate rooms for medical, mental health and dental services. All of the new amenities will help the BCSO avoid future lawsuits and come in compliance with court orders. “We’ve been in a federal consent order since 1995 and we’ve been bound by it because of the old jail,” Sheriff Massee said. “As soon as we move into the new jail, the federal lawsuit should be moot. Overall, we’ll have a much more Constitutional jail” …
Fifteen new jailers have been hired as part of the transition, according to Massee, which nearly doubles the amount of jailers on the payroll. The new jail will accommodate 316 inmates, which compares to 187 at the current jail … “(Housing inmates will) become cheaper and more efficient at the new jail. There will be a savings, but we just can’t determine the exact amount until we actually make the move,” Massee said.