Alabama sheriff evacuates jail, citing unspecified 'health and safety concerns'

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama sheriff evacuated his county jail Thursday, citing the need to avoid unspecified “health and safety concerns.”

Autauga County Sheriff Mark Harrell said in a statement posted on Facebook that deputies began transporting inmates from the Autauga County Metropolitan Jail to other facilities in the morning. His office's website currently lists 164 people on its detainee list.

“We have worked out logistics with several agencies to house the inmates,” Harrell said. “We have made arrangements to process individuals quickly and house them in a safe environment. »

It was not clear which agencies they were or for how long they had agreed to host them.

Harrell said he has “a moral obligation to the safety, health and security of all individuals who pass through the doors of the Autauga County Metropolitan Jail, whether they be my staff , law enforcement officers or detainees.”

He said the county commission should address health and safety issues before putting anyone else in a cell. He did not specify.

Autauga County Administrator Scott Kramer said the commission was aware of problems at the jail, but he also did not provide details, news outlets reported.

“We have worked diligently and in good faith with Sheriff Harrell and his team to address their important concerns; we will continue to do so and ask him and his team to do the same,” Kramer said in a statement.

The commission sent workers to the site this week to address those concerns, and experts conducted inspections, he added.

“We will persist in making improvements, but within the law and the resources available to us, to ensure the well-being of anyone – inmate, staff, law enforcement officer or member of the public – who enters in the prison,” Kramer said. said