Atlanta City Council to discuss removal of Fulton inmates from city jail
Atlanta leaders consider ending deal to house county inmates in city jail
Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat addressed Atlanta's City Council Monday, as the city considers ending a deal that lets the sheriff put inmates in his custody in the old Atlanta City Jail. The county is currently under a 4-year lease with the city to use the facility. Several council members questioned Labat about the future.
ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council’s Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee is considering legislation that could move forward the process of ending Fulton County’s use of the Atlanta City Detention Center.
The committee, chaired by Council member Andrea L. Boone, met on Monday, and questioned Fulton Couny Sheriff Pat Labat.
What we know:
Resolution 25-R-3289, authored by Council members Antonio Lewis, Liliana Bakhtiari and Jason Dozier, reportedly calls for beginning the planned staged withdrawal of detainees currently held at the detention center under the custody of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Fulton County began housing some of its inmates, charged with state offenses, at the Atlanta Detention Center in 2022. Before that, inmates would be sent to county jails if there was not enough room at the Fulton County Jail and its facilities. Fulton County and the City of Atlanta agreed on a 4-year lease at the time.
The sheriff spoke with leaders for over an hour and half. Labat said keeping ACDC a resource for county leaders is important for the safety of detainees in the Rice Street Jail. Labat said the jail currently has units that cannot be used, limiting where the detainees could be placed.
City Councilman Antonio Lewis pulled his paper following the meeting, so the legislation will continue to be debated.
The other side:
Prior to housing inmates from Fulton County Jail, the Atlanta Detention Center was used to detain individuals who were arrested for city or federal offenses.
PREVIOUS STORIES
- Atlanta City Council committee delays resolution on relocating Fulton County inmates
- City council call for inmates to return to Fulton Co. Jail
- Fulton County commissioner undeterred by Atlanta mayor's rejection to take more inmates
The backstory:
The Fulton County Jail has been heavily criticized in recent years for the conditions of its facilities and staffing levels. County commissioners approved $1.1 billion last week for jail renovations. However, those will take several years to complete.
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