May 19, 2013
Plans for a new Beaufort County jail are getting some attention from the city of Washington.
The county commissioners have already voted to build the proposed facility at the county's industrial park. Problem is, the city co-owns the park, and they say they want involved in the conversation.
The city agrees that a new jail is necessary since the old one is so out of date, it's become a safety hazard to the officers who work there.
Washington Mayor Archie Jennings says, "I couldn't say that we like the idea, but again to be fair, we'd never really considered the idea. That idea had never really been put in front of us."
Sheriff Alan Jordan and jail Captain Catrena Ross say just last weekend an officer was head-butted by an inmate trying to break up a scuffle. Both say they hope the city's involvement won't slow down the process.
