蜜桃导航

Updated 3:02, July 12, 2019

Five years after Cuyahoga County took over the Euclid jail, county officials are in talks with the city about closing it.

The move would allow the county to transfer guards to the overcrowded downtown facility, which was the subject of a scathing U.S. Marshals鈥� Service report last year.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had such difficulty hiring more corrections officers at the main jail,鈥� Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish said after a council meeting Thursday evening. 鈥淪o if we can move 20 from Euclid to the main jail it will be very helpful to us.鈥�

Earlier this year, the county extended its lease at the Euclid jail through the end of March 2020. Budish said the goal would be to close the facility 鈥渕uch sooner than a year.鈥�

鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to leave anybody in the lurch, and we鈥檒l do what we have to do to make sure nobody is鈥攏one of our city partners are hurting,鈥� he said.

Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail said in an emailed statement Thursday that county officials have pledged a 鈥渕utually agreeable solution鈥� for pulling out of the jail.

鈥淭here is a lot of planning and logistics that need to be solidified concerning our inmates regarding holding, transport, housing, meals, et cetera,鈥� Holzheimer Gail said. 鈥淚t is imperative that a transition plan be agreed upon for the safety of our community.鈥�

Transferring Euclid guards to the main jail would have a 鈥減ositive effect鈥� on the county鈥檚 staffing problems, said Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Annette Chambers-Smith.

Speaking with reporters in Columbus on Friday, she said state officials have visited the county jail 鈥渁lmost weekly,鈥� offering help on staffing and use-of-force training. She also said the county had taken a good step in hiring a new jail administrator.

鈥淲ith our technical assistance, them bringing in professionals that know what they鈥檙e doing, working together as a team, we鈥檙e turning around that place,鈥� Chambers-Smith said.

County spokesperson Devyn Giannetti confirmed Friday the county has made an offer to a potential new warden.

Cuyahoga County  under then-Executive Ed FitzGerald as part of a regionalization plan that later included Cleveland鈥檚 and Bedford Heights鈥� facilities.

A 46-year-old Lakewood man died of a fentanyl overdose last August after being taken to the hospital from the Euclid jail, according to the county medical examiner.

Councilman Mike Gallagher said he would invite Euclid officials to discuss a council meeting next Tuesday.

鈥淲e will be working with them,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淲e have problems at Euclid, we understand that. But we鈥檒l deal with that in committee, but hopefully by then everyone will be of an understanding that when we have a partnership, we stand by it.鈥�

Gallagher said County Sheriff Clifford Pinkney would also testify. Pinkney plans to retire in August.

With reporting by Andy Chow at the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau.