An order by the Greenville City Council to eliminate city inmate pickup after release from the Washington County Regional Correctional Facility is expected to be rescinded.
Greenville Police Chief Marcus Turner requested pickup be eliminated due to liability and rising fuel cost and the council in turn considered the request and voted for its approval at their Aug. 2 regular meeting.
However, in light of a standing interlocal agreement between the city, WCRCF and the sheriff, city inmate pickup is likely to resume in the previous manner despite how cumbersome it may be as Turner described.
The Interlocal Agreement for Housing Inmates of the City of Greenville was entered October 6, 2009.
Section 4.3 of the agreement entitled “Delivery and Release of Inmates“ states, “Upon proper notification by Greenville and an authenticated copy of the mittimus or other commitment order, or any other official papers or documents authorizing confinement, Greenville shall transport the Greenville inmate from any Greenville facility to the annex to the correctional facility. Once the county has received the proper court orders and/or Greenville documentation regarding a Greenville inmate’s release from the annex to the correctional facility, then Greenville shall deliver the Greenville inmate back to a Greenville designated site.”
After learning of the council’s Aug. 2 decision, the Washington County Board of Supervisors submitted a letter signed by board president Carl McGee to the city council asking that they rescind the order as eliminating pickup posed safety concerns, particularly for residents who live in the vicinity of the WCRCF.
Turner, and possibly some council members as it appeared, had no knowledge of the interlocal agreement prior to the council's last regular meeting.
Having been made aware of the agreement, Turner and Sheriff Milton Gaston are "on the same page" and will maintain the arrangement.
Further discussion about the matter was broached by Councilwoman Lurann-Thomas Kingdom during the council’s last regular meeting on Aug. 16, over which Vice Mayor Al Brock presided in Mayor Errick Simmons’ absence.
She told council members she had received calls from concerned community members regarding their decision to eliminate inmate pickup and also acknowledged the BOS’ letter citing similar concerns.
Councilman Bill Brozovich asked what distinction was there between releasing city inmates directly from the WCRCF or a city facility such as the police department or municipal courthouse.
“The greatest difference for the city is the liability factor,” said Turner. “Once the court has released them of all charges, we would go out to the jail and put them in our cars and bring them back to the police department just to release them from the police department.”
Turner noted that Sheriff Milton Gaston shared his concerns for the people who live near the WCRCF as well, which he regarded as “equivalent to” people who live on Poplar and Washington and in the general vicinity of the police department.
“If we bring them back, they no longer belong to us, so it is a liability putting them in the car and bringing them back in the event that something may happen,” Turner continued. “So we want to release ourselves from one, the liability and two, the cost of going out there 13 miles one way and 13 miles the other way and bringing them back to the station only to say, “hey you’re free.””
City attorney Kim Merchant, who took no particular position on the matter, pointed out that while the risk of liability does exist in the arrangement, the city’s insurance covers such risk.
Brozovich proposed allowing the order to stand for at least three months and should there be any conflict or undesired result that stems from foregoing inmate pickup, the city would resume with honoring the original agreement.
Thomas-Kingdom reiterated the concerns of citizens and also highlighted the importance of making efforts to work in partnership with the county.
Brock echoed Thomas-Kingdom’s sentiments, saying, “We want to continue to maintain that relationship with the county…I understand all of the arguments for and against it.”
Thomas-Kingdom made a motion to rescind the council order eliminating city inmate pickup, which required a two-thirds vote of the council.
The motion, however, failed to a majority vote of “nay.”
“The City of Greenville and Greenville Police Department will continue to protect and serve the public. In regards to the picking up and transferring of inmates, it is spelled out that it should be done either in contract or any agreement,” Simmons said on Thursday. “The previous order of the council will be rescinded to follow suit with the contractual agreement.”
He added, “The city and county will continue to work jointly protecting the citizens and on the myriad of projects undertaken for further development of Greenville and Washington County.”
