EDITOR:
Do we need a new jail or new judges, prosecutors and county commissioners? Are judges, the prosecutor and sheriff intentionally causing dangerous overcrowding at the Platte County Detention Center?
The jail population can easily be reduced just like it was during Covid.
The daily average Platte County Jail population prior to Covid was reduced by one third from 156 inmates to 102 inmates for an entire year March 1, 2020 to Feb. 28, 2021. Reducing the current jail population of approximately 210 inmates by one third would leave today’s population at 140 inmates, a very manageable population for the current facility.
Perhaps the 40,000 square foot Platte County Sheriff’s Department building could contain some holding cells for short term guests.
It’s just common sense. Do the Citizens of Platte County need to support the current tax and spend leadership or elect leaders who are willing to listen to the citizens of Platte County?
I do support law enforcement. The half cent jail tax proposal is not about supporting the men and women who stand behind the badge.
Just received a flyer from Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd. The flyer indicates that overcrowding the detention center is a safety issue for jailers and detainees.
The jail population can be controlled and lowered to approximately 160 detainees at any given point in time by releasing the non-violent offenders. The same protocols used to lower the jail population during Covid can be utilized without any danger to the citizens of Platte County.
Over the last six years the violent offender population has never been over 80 percent and currently is at approximately 75%. The detention center population is posted daily on the sheriff’s website.
--Jon McLaughlin
New Market
