From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: January 8, 2009

Sheriff Restructures Jail

Sheriff Dennis Dotson announced today that another restructuring in the Lincoln County Jail is being implemented. “This is the fourth restructuring of this county’s jail operations since July 2005,” stated Sheriff Dotson. The current restructuring is unlike the previous three restructurings as the need for this one was unanticipated.

The county is facing budgetary challenges not only in the Health and Human Services Department, but throughout the general fund. “When I was informed of the revenue shortfall, it was apparent that the Sheriff’s Office needed to act quickly and decisively to assist the county in its recovery,” stated Dotson.

Sheriff Dotson informed the Jail Commander, Lieutenant Jamie Russell, that five vacant deputy positions in the jail were not going to be filled and that it would be necessary to close a housing unit and release 34 inmates unless another plan could be developed. The plan being implemented was created by members of the jail team and approved by Sheriff Dotson within a few weeks.

Currently, there are five vacant Corrections Deputy positions and two vacant Patrol Deputy positions. The plan saves the funding from those five corrections positions and the overtime to cover those vacancies. The plan also includes filling the two patrol positions as soon as possible. Sheriff Dotson points out that if the two patrol positions were not filled, the safety of other deputies would be compromised and citizen’s calls for assistance would have to be covered by paying overtime. “Paying overtime to fulfill the needs of our citizens would not result in any cost savings and failing to respond to citizen’s calls for help due to a lack of deputies is unconscionable,” stated Sheriff Dotson.

The plan is estimated to reduce funding needs in the Sheriff’s Office by at least $500,000 annually. Sheriff Dotson made it clear that while this plan may sound good in that it reduces costs, everyone should be aware of the demands being placed on the entire jail team to implement this plan and make it successful.

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