Napa County Supervisors agree with the grand
jury that they should explore having a bond measure to help replace the aging,
earthquake-rocked county jail.
But they disagree that the county should
install body scanners in the present jail to help stop people from sneaking in
contraband. Nor do they support increasing jail staffing and capacity to better
manage Napa State Hospital patients at the jail.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved
without comment written responses to the 2014-15 grand jury report on the
county jail in downtown Napa.
Napa County’s jail includes a portion of the
Hall of Justice built in 1976 and a newer wing built in 1989, with a total
capacity of 264 inmates. The Aug. 24 South Napa earthquake damaged the older
section and dropped the capacity to 204 inmates.
“The current jail was problematic even before
the earthquake, but now the urgency for a new, larger and more modern
correction facility has risen to a higher level,” the grand jury report said.
By June 30, 2016, supervisors should decide to
compete for state jail construction funding and consider a bond measure to pay
for part of the jail construction costs, the grand jury report recommended.
The Board of Supervisors responded that it
could approve applying for state money at its Aug. 11 meeting and should know
if the effort succeeds in December. In addition, it will consider other funding
options – such as a bond measure – by June 30, 2016.
Napa County owns land for a new jail along
Highway 221 near the Syar quarry. It wants to build a 366-bed jail that could
cost an estimated $150 million. Phase one could be a $66 million, 96-bed jail
with $20 million coming from the state and $46 million from savings, the sale
of surplus property and other sources.
County officials have said it is unlikely the
county could borrow enough money for a new jail without going to voters. A jail
bond measure paid for by property taxes would have to receive two-thirds of the
vote to pass.
But the grand jury report does more than talk
about a new jail that might not be built until 2022 or later. It also
recommends actions that it deems necessary at the present jail.
More contraband such as drugs and weapons have
entered the jail since the state made counties responsible for lower-level
felons that previously went to state prison. This situation may be contributing
to an increase in assaults on correctional officers, the grand jury report
stated.
Other California counties have begun using
body scanners to detect contraband in body cavities. Napa County should, too,
the grand jury recommended.
But supervisors disagreed. A body scanner
would ideally be in the booking area. Creating room would require a major
construction project in an area critical to the jail’s day-to-day operations.
Putting scanners in the vehicle sally port would interfere with the flow of
police cars.
“The county will explore the option to locate
a body scanner with a new jail in the future,” the Board of Supervisor’s
written report said.
The grand jury also expressed concern that the
jail control room is “marginally operational,” with poor video monitors and a
location vulnerable during a crisis. The control room is the communication
center for the jail, and locks and unlocks doors.
Napa County should upgrade the jail control
room by Jan. 1, 2017, the grand jury recommended.
The South Napa earthquake delayed bidding for
the project, the Board of Supervisors replied. In addition, General Electric is
reviewing the computer model that would operate controls throughout the
facility. Bidding will be completed once this issue is resolved, with construction
to take 18 to 24 months.
Napa State Hospital patients who are
transferred to the jail require special handling, such as sometimes being the
sole occupants of cells designed for up to three inmates. The grand jury wants
the county to consider increased staffing and jail capacity to better manage
these inmates.
But the Board of Supervisors sees the ultimate
solution as being a new jail that can better house mental health patients. The
county in the meantime has done such things as contract with Solano County for
jail capacity, its response said.
July
15, 2015
Napa
Valley Register
By Barry Eberling
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