Jail construction moving along

Oct. 16—Whenever a county grows, so too must its infrastructure. That includes everything from its roadways to its sewer pipes to its jail.

The project to expand Wilson County's jail first began in March, and according to the sheriff, it is proceeding as scheduled.

Many commuters and pedestrians have probably noticed the building go up beside the current judicial center. It's a planned expansion to the jail that will nearly double its present capacity.

Wilson County Sheriff Robert Bryan said that the project is imperative to the continued development and growth of Wilson County.

"Anytime your county population grows, everything else grows with it," Bryan said. "Schools grow, this grows, that grows. All your services have to grow."

Unfortunately, growth can also correlate to an increase in crime, something the current jail's capacity is grappling with.

"We decided we had to do something, because it was getting hard to maneuver inmates inside the facility," Bryan said. "The worst thing you can have is an overcrowded jail. It's dangerous for the inmates. It's dangerous for your employees."

While it wasn't the norm, there had been certain times where the jail was out of beds, resulting in a few inmates being forced to use cots on the floor.

Bryan said that discussions for the expansion began in 2019. That coincided with the increases in the jail population.

"It got to the point where we had 460 beds (in the existing facility)," Bryan said. "We got to where we were running 420-430 inmates."

Land that the jail expansion sits on was purchased by the county, with its proximity to the current complex as the leading argument for its acquisition.

"This allows us to stay where we are," said Bryan.

When it's completed, the expansion will be four stories. Each floor will be able to house approximately 100 inmates.

While the new building is set to expand the number of inmates, it also enhances the level of security. A centralized control tower will allow two guards to monitor all inmate activity from a perched position on floors 1 and 2. A second tower will monitor floors 3 and 4.

A new unloading area will increase security on the premises as well. It will allow vehicles to pull into a bay door, which will close behind them before unloading anyone from the back seat.

Bryan said that the new expansion will feature top-of-the-line technological locking mechanisms and multiple remote-controlled doors as added safety features.

Additionally, by being able to house inmates in the new facility, it will give the sheriff's office a chance to update the current facility that as Bryan says "could use a little more than just a fresh coat of paint."

Construction of the expansion is set to be finished by the start of the calendar year 2023, with plans being to move inmates in immediately.