Sheriff Knight – Jail is “AT OPERATIONAL CAPACITY” (failure to strategically plan)

[Unregistered]

No, I don’t think that is possible. There are 3 Direct Supervision housing floors. They house 96 inmates per floor. In the East wing there are 6 cells with 24 beds per cell although we utilize boats for beds making it a total of 36 per cell or 216 per 3 floors. 4th floor is built different allowing 24 per cell or 144 total inmates on that floor. If we didn’t waste so much money on so few beds in the North wing, we wouldn’t be in this mess. How is that ticker doing Georgie?

[Unregistered]

We have had average headcounts circa 2005-2010 that have been 1200 inmates. The North Wing had housing for only 96 inmates per floor. Direct supervision allows for 48 inmates in a pod / 2 pods per floor / 1 deputy per 48 inmates. Linear supervision allows for up to 216 inmates per floor with 2 deputies. Waste of space, waste on money, waste of time.

Can the interior of the same jail be redesigned to accommodate more inmates? Or can it not be redesigned, due to there being so much concrete and metal on each floor?

No, I don’t think that is possible. There are 3 Direct Supervision housing floors. They house 96 inmates per floor. In the East wing there are 6 cells with 24 beds per cell although we utilize boats for beds making it a total of 36 per cell or 216 per 3 floors. 4th floor is built different allowing 24 per cell or 144 total inmates on that floor. If we didn’t waste so much money on so few beds in the North wing, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

Well, we are in this mess, regardless of how it happened or who caused it or who implemented the poor design of the old jail. But for long-term purposes, what is the solution?

It seems that an old jail can't be used for anything -- except as a jail -- because it's made with so much concrete and metal (just look at all the concrete and metal cell blocks). So it can never be renovated and turned into a hotel or a condo or whatever. It can only be used as a jail -- or be torn down.

So what's the long-term solution to address the the non-stop population-growth of Sarasota County? The only long-term solution is to probably build a new high-rise jail, possibly at Bahia Vista and Cattleman because:

• Sarasota County already owns the property.
• It's adjacent to the interstate, which makes it convenient for all the different agencies who use it (SPD, VPD and NPPD). LBKPD only makes one or two arrests a year, so it won't be a hardship on them. LOL JK
• If it's not done fancy -- just the basics -- it does not have to be pretty -- then the cost should top out at 40 to 50 million (not 100 million). We don't need a fancy jail that looks pretty -- we just need a functional one that is made out of concrete, metal and hardened glass. NO EXTRAS!!!

[Unregistered]

Well, we are in this mess, regardless of how it happened or who caused it or who implemented the poor design of the old jail. But for long-term purposes, what is the solution?

It seems that an old jail can't be used for anything -- except as a jail -- because it's made with so much concrete and metal (just look at all the concrete and metal cell blocks). So it can never be renovated and turned into a hotel or a condo or whatever. It can only be used as a jail -- or be torn down.

So what's the long-term solution to address the the non-stop population-growth of Sarasota County? The only long-term solution is to probably build a new high-rise jail, possibly at Bahia Vista and Cattleman because:

• Sarasota County already owns the property.
• It's adjacent to the interstate, which makes it convenient for all the different agencies who use it (SPD, VPD and NPPD). LBKPD only makes one or two arrests a year, so it won't be a hardship on them. LOL JK
• If it's not done fancy -- just the basics -- it does not have to be pretty -- then the cost should top out at 40 to 50 million (not 100 million). We don't need a fancy jail that looks pretty -- we just need a functional one that is made out of concrete, metal and hardened glass. NO EXTRAS!!!

The Sarasota County region is the 10th fastest growing area in the United States:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...wing-in-nation

Now is NOT the time to ignore the present and future growth of the jail population. Now is actually the time to start preparing for it.

[Unregistered]

The only long-term solution is to probably build a new high-rise jail, possibly at Bahia Vista and Cattleman because:

• Sarasota County already owns the property.
• It's adjacent to the interstate, which makes it convenient for all the different agencies who use it (SPD, VPD and NPPD).
• It does not need to be fancy or pretty -- just the basics -- the cost should top out at 40 to 50 million (not 100 million). We just need a functional jail that is made out of concrete, metal and hardened glass. NO EXTRAS!!!

Corrections Maj. Jeff Bell said, “Our goal is to avoid incarcerating people because...”

Full story:
https://www.yourobserver.com/article...ulation-reduce

#1. With all due respect, Mr. Knight already spend 20 thousand dollars by hiring an architect to design a grandiose "sheriff's campus" at Bahiva Vista & Cattleman.

#2. It did not have a jail build into the plans and the projected cost ballooned up to over 110 million dollars.

#3. Sarasota County commissioners shot down Mr. Knight's plans, calling them "grandiose and unrealistic." That's why the "sheriff's campus" was never build at Bahia Vista & Cattleman.

#4. Mr. Knight pissed 20k taxpayer down the toilet (refer back to #1 above).

#5. Mr. Knight has no interest is preparing long-term strategic jail operations that will accommodate explosive county growth in this century. Instead, he had us handing out free McDonalds coupons to juvenile jaywalkers.