Citing recent escapes by inmates, malfunctioning locks, and unsafe conditions for jailers, inmates and the general public, the Lawrence County Sheriff is closing the county jail until further notice.
“Because of use and wear in the jail, along with damage created by inmates, the jail is unsafe not only for the jailers and the civilian dispatchers who work out of the jail but also the citizens of the county,” Sheriff Brad DeLay wrote in a press release Wednesday.
Sheriff DeLay said he is working with county commissioners to appropriate money to fix the jail problems.
The release stated some of those safety concerns include: “Prisoners are free to move as they wish from many cells because the locks do not work properly. One cell was closed down several months ago because the lock had jammed. Electrical wiring has been accessed and removed by inmates leaving no lighting in the cell area. Jailers must now check on inmates after dark with flashlights not knowing if the inmates are in their cells. This is also due in part because the inmates have damaged or destroyed cameras as well.”
The sheriff also wrote that prisoners currently being held at the Lawrence County Jail are being transferred to unspecified locations through out Missouri for holding until the jail can be reopened.
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<img src=" http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/policeandfire.gif" border=0 > Lawrence County Jail shut down over safety concerns
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