The Allen County Commissioners and Sheriff David Gladieux submitted their plan to a U.S. District judge on how to address jail overcrowding per a federal court order.
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 documents submitted Tuesday, the plan includes what Allen County officials have deemed necessary new construction, whether that’s a newly-constructed jail facility for all the prisoners or a newly-built facility for certain types of inmates. Either way, the total number of inmates housed would be up to 1,500 beds.
Also included in the plan is to cease housing federal detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service beginning in June.
Those detainees, and potential overflow inmates will be housed in the LaGrange County Jail, according to an agreement.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana has one of its courthouses in Fort Wayne, one mile from the Allen County Jail.
Additional jail overflow could be housed in Noble County’s jail, according to the documents.
Three hours of recreation outside of their cells per week will also be afforded to inmates. Jail staffing will also be addressed. There are currently 21 positions unfilled, though officials say the staffing is adequate to allow recreation and monitoring.
