by Caroline Bredekamp and Krista Schap for the Preston Times
In a recent tour, open to the Preston Times Newspaper, Sheriff Brent Kilburg and his deputy Andrew Long invited us to tour, photograph, and ask questions about the new Jackson County Law Enforcement Center firsthand. Both officers showcased its new and improved cells, medical facilities, state-of-the-art kitchen, educational areas and booking technology area, accommodating the needs of the staff and the inmates in which they deal.
The new law enforcement center will house both a jail as well as an office space for the sheriff’s department. The facility will include an updated and roomier workstation for deputies, secured spaces to keep evidence of all types, and an emergency operations center that can be used in the case of a natural disaster or a major catastrophic event, with that also space being available as a training space too. A fully functional state licensed kitchen is on site, a laundry area and commissary are stocked, and spaces for religious services, substance abuse meetings, etc. are available.
Sheriff Kilburg mentioned throughout the tour many of the new updates within the law enforcement center “It’ll be much more functional, more efficient,” “It’ll be much safer for my correctional officers.” For example, the open waiting room present in the booking office follows the “rational adult” protocol the jail is attempting to follow. If an individual ceases to comply and behave, they will be placed in a floor-to-ceiling padded cell to combat potentially violent behavior. An empty recreation room is available so the inmates can have fresh air and view of the sky from a garage door near the ceiling that cannot be reached, and a bigger space to walk around or to do exercises in. The old jail had fencing and such that was not as secure as this will be.
These renovations and expansions to the Jackson County jail will allow the jail to significantly improve safety measures but it will also increase its housing capacity allowing Jackson County to be paid for housing inmates from another jurisdiction in the event they are overpopulated. The new jail will be about seventeen thousand square feet and have 32 beds.
The Jackson County Board of Supervisors and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office will host a reception at the new Jackson County Law Enforcement Center on Saturday, September 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m. Tours of the new facility will be available until 2:45 p.m. The reception is open to the public and will be held at the new Jackson County Law Enforcement Center, 140 Jacobsen Drive in Maquoketa. Parking is available on site.
The cell area in the jail house.
Preston Times Employee Krista Schap checking out the toilet in the safety/padded room. The room is bare minimum in order to keep an inmate that may be having difficulties in gaining control of their behaviors/emotions safe until a time they are in control of themselves.
Stainless steel commodes and wash basins in the cells.
The evidence room. This room has movable shelving units that can be adjusted for space saving needs and to house a variety of evidence that is processed into the room. There is also refrigeration in this room for any pieces of evidence that can spoil.
Each area of the jail has a minimum and a maximum section for the inmates with a duplicate area directly above it.
One of the minimum-security cells for inmates that are incarcerated for minimal offenses and behaviors.
Movable laundry room shelving for inmate clothing, bedding and a shelving unit of commissary supplies.
Pass thru in each cell door. Used for things like passing food trays in and out or for having hands placed thru to have handcuffs placed on the inmate before the cell door is opened.
Sherrif Kilburg and Deputy Long explain the intake area and process.
