In an effort to address the requirements of an ACLU lawsuit in federal court regarding jail overcrowding, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department has indicated where it plans to put a new, larger facility.
That new location will be on property already owned by the county as the Allen County Sheriff’s Department’s regional training center.
On March 31, a federal judge ordered county officials to reduce the population of the jail by May 15. The order came as the result of a class-action lawsuit filed by the ACLU contesting conditions in the jail, including overcrowding.
In the months since, attorneys representing the county and Allen County Sheriff David Gladieux have filed plans for how they will continue to reduce the population of the jail, and keep it down.
But the reality is that the current jail location downtown is not one that would be expanded easily.
The new jail would have approximately 1,100 beds, and would be completed by spring of 2027. That timeframe would be extended even further were the county to try to acquire a different property, according to court documents.
A group of community leaders and residents, known as Help not Handcuffs, have been asking for the county to delay the process to allow greater input on location and facility offerings.
Another hearing is scheduled for August in the U.S. District Court in Fort Wayne.
