Beltrami County to discuss jail at next meeting

By: News Director Larissa Donovan

BEMIDJI– The Beltrami County Board of Commissioners will discuss the county’s jail issues during their work session this Tuesday.

A meeting held in the middle of last month with representatives from the Department of Corrections pointed out many deficiencies in the current jail, and ultimately the need to end operations the current facility and begin planning a new one.

Some of the deficiencies include only one toilet for 12 women in custody, which has been an issue since 2017. The DOC ratio is one toilet per 10 women.

The county must correct this issue within six months or they will lose two beds per unit, making four fewer beds in the female housing units, which could cost up to $6,600 per month to house the female inmates out of county. 

About

Larissa Donovan is the News Director for the stations of Paul Bunyan Broadcasting and has been, almost without interruption, since Election Day 2016. She covers events and issues in north central Minnesota, which include local government, crime, courts, education, environment and social issues. She studied communications at Bemidji State University and received her degree in 2018. Larissa, native to the great state of New York, grew up in Bemidji, and enjoys spending her spare time with her family and pet cat. She also loves Star Trek, punk rock music and the theater.

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