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

[Corrections 101]

Problem:

• For several years, the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office jail has been approaching “operational capacity,” but Sheriff Knight has not presented any strategic plans to solve the infrastructural jail problem.

• Last month and for the first time, Sheriff Knight informed Sarasota County commissioners that the jail is “approaching operational capacity.”

• This month, Sheriff Knight informed the commissioners that the jail is now “at operational capacity.”

• Sarasota County’s population hit 412,000 (in 2016) and continues every year and shows no signs of contracting, yet Sheriff Knight has made no strategic or contingency plans for infrastructural jail capacity.

• Summary: No executive strategic plans have been or are being prepared for long-term Sarasota County growth.

Timeline:

• 2011 – Knight paid 20k to Architects Design Group, Inc. to design a gigantic “Sheriff’s Campus” that did NOT include strategic plans for a new jail or jail expansion. The plan never materialized.

• 2013 – Knight presented gigantic plans to build a 100 million “Sheriff’s Campus” that did NOT include a new jail or a jail expansion. A county commissioner describes Knight’s plan as unrealistic and “grandiose.” The plan never materialized. Source: http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...for-more-space

• 2017 (Oct.) – Last month, Knight informed commissioners that the old jail is now approaching “operational capacity,” but he did not propose a strategic plan to build a new jail or to expand the old one. Source: http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...il-at-capacity

• 2017 (Nov.) – This month, Knight informed commissioners that the jail is now “at operational capacity.” Source: http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...re-than-600000

• 2017 (Nov.) – This month, Knight moved into a brand new office that does not have a new jail nor a jail expansion nor any strategic infrastructural plans for the jail. Source: http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/sheri...ba3d3ad43.html

[Unregistered]

Problem:

2017 (Nov.) – This month, Knight moved into a brand new office that does NOT have a new jail nor a jail expansion nor any strategic infrastructural plans for the jail. Source: http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/sheri...ba3d3ad43.html

Here is the email that Knight told SSO media to send to all voting constituents (today 12.1.17):
http://www.sarasotasheriff.org/news_detail_T13_R472.php

It conveniently does not mention jail problems.

Kurt & Tom, I'll see you at the "grand opening." LOL

[Unregistered]

The County Commission was made aware of the future need for a new jail ten years ago, but failed to act.

The Sheriff cannot force the County Commission to fork over the money. He has talked to them, to no avail.

He has presented programs to help alleviate overcrowding which has saved millions of dollars and told the commission they can fund the programs or build the new jail.

Now, AGAIN, the decision is up to the County Commission.

https://www.yourobserver.com/article...ation-decision

[Unregistered]

It's interesting:

1. Knight hired a firm for 20k to design a grandiose "sheriff's campus" for 100 million dollars. It was an idiotic plan.
2. Knight did NOT hire a firm to design a jail. He has no infrastructural plan.

1. Knight suggested property for a "grandiose" sheriff's campus (at Bahia Vista & Cattleman).
2. Knight did NOT suggest property for a new jail. He has no plan.

Knight has no strategic plans for a jail! He is clueless about this!

[Unregistered]

Knight has been on top of this for years. No sense wasting taxpayer money on a facility that the County Commission was NEVER GOING TO FUND.

I'm glad that he has waited to determine what the actual needs are going to be instead of spending a bunch of money on plans that would be outdated by the time the County Commission decides to act.

We are fortunate to have Tom Knight as our Sheriff.

[Unregistered]

2017 (Nov.) – This month, Knight informed commissioners that the jail is now “at operational capacity.”

Source: http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...re-than-600000

Click on the above newspaper link and then scroll down to the citizen's comments section and look for the small yellow tab that says "Editor's Pick" and then read it. It says it all. LOL

I'm not sure how much political juice Knight has with the H-T, but that accurate comment is one that Knight may try to get washed. The truth is double-edged sword that cut's Knight going up, as well as coming down!

[Unregistered]

Click on the above newspaper link and then scroll down to the citizen's comments section and look for the small yellow tab that says "Editor's Pick" and then read it. It says it all. LOL

I'm not sure how much political juice Knight has with the H-T, but that accurate comment is one that Knight may try to get washed. The truth is double-edged sword that cut's Knight going up, as well as coming down!

So you made one uneducated comment in the SH-T newspaper. Big Deal. Did your mommy have to help you with the big words? Hahahahaha.........you are so stupid, it's hillarious!!!!!!!!

[Media]

Sheriff Tom Knight has 90 days to meet with stakeholders to deliver options to Sarasota County commissioners for reducing the jail population.

A decade ago, criminal justice policy coordinator Wayne Applebee was already trying to figure out how to avoid building a new jail, which today could cost more than $100 million.

The jail’s population is currently 867, which is at operational capacity. Jail space is tight.

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

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

[Unregistered]

We have had average headcounts circa 2005-2010 that have been 1200 inmates. This whole thing stems from Balkwell, George Scott, D. Parisi, who built the North Wing which 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. Hey George, we still don't miss you!

[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?