Today is moving day for many Douglas County Jail inmates.
After months of building, painting and training, it's time to put the Douglas County Jail and its new staff to work.
"We're ready," Douglas County Sheriff Loren Anderson said Friday.
Check-in begins after breakfast this morning.
Moving four or five at a time in the sheriff department's Chevrolet Suburbans, it shouldn't take long to clear out the 50 or so inmates at the jail inside the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center, 111 E. 11th.
"We'll be done by noon," Anderson said.
On Sunday, deputies will collect some of the inmates from jails in other counties where Douglas County's overflow inmates are kept. First to be moved will be the inmates who have court appearances next week.
The remainder will be moved a few at a time over the next two weeks.
"What we are obviously trying to avoid is having 15 or 20 inmates with nothing to do but stand and wait," Anderson said. "They can wait as soon as we get them locked up."
Earlier this week, 46 Douglas County inmates were being housed outside of the county, some as far away as Labette County in southeast Kansas.
"Security is the main issue," Anderson said. "We'll do it whenever we've got personnel available."
Because they already have been booked into the old jail, the transfer inmates won't get the full treatment on arrival at the new jail.
Their personal possessions will be inventoried again while the inmates watch.
Anderson said the jail staff was still short seven security officers. The sheriff will be juggling shifts and paying overtime to compensate.
-- Kendrick Blackwood's phone message number is 832-7221. His e-mail address is kblackwood@ljworld.com.
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