SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County officials announced a proposal Monday to fund more jail beds for the county jail.

Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams announced at a press conference that the County Council intends to approve a $700,000 budget increase to fund more jail beds and to take more individuals off the street in the Rio Grande District of Salt Lake City. McAdams said the step is intended to “restore order” in the area near the homeless center.

McAdams said the state will provide an additional $2.8 million to fund jail beds in July after recently passed legislation takes effect, but that the county needed to step in before that date to address a growing issue in the downtown Salt Lake City area.

“This is an unsafe area for families and individuals that are living there,” McAdams said.

McAdams added that opening up space in the jail is only one step in helping individuals involved in the crimes downtown. He said the county is looking to include several treatment options to help individuals involved in drug-related offenses.

The Salt Lake County Council is expected to approve the $700,000 budget increase Tuesday. Council member Aimee Winder Newton said the issue is “an important issue that we feel passionately about.” She added that the increased funding is “necessary.”

Sheriff Jim Winder, who oversees the jail in Salt Lake County, said the funding will help Salt Lake City’s “crisis situation” and will be the first step in alleviating the growing need to incarcerate more individuals.

“We are in a crisis like a flood,” he said. “We are overwhelmed with individuals that need occupancy in jail.”

Winder said once the county funding is approved, he will look to house individuals in various jails within the county. Once the state funding takes effect in July, he said he will begin lifting booking restrictions.

When the full $2.8 million from the state becomes available, it's expected to fund as many as 300 beds at $52 per inmate per day, Winder said. It's not clear, however, how many beds that will ultimately be or how many the $700,000 will fund in the meantime because it's a complicated matter, he said.

Related:

Police say jail restrictions wreaking havoc in Salt Lake County

On Mar, 1, 2016, the Salt Lake County Sheriff issued an order essentially barring police departments across the valley from using the jail to book most suspects who’ve been caught committing misdemeanor offenses.

Utah's House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said in a prepared statement that "homelessness is a statewide issue and every community has a role to play" in fixing the crime in downtown Salt Lake City.

"We must protect the most vulnerable amongst us by arresting the wolves who prey upon them," he added. "Today's announcement is another key step to address this issue. I'm encouraged and supportive of the plan to address the jail bed situation in Salt Lake County and remain a committed partner in solving this crisis."

Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Buskupski and Salt Lake City Police Department Chief Mike Brown in a joint statement thanked the county for "coming together and fulfilling their responsibility to provide adequate jail space to law enforcement in Salt Lake City and around the valley."

The statement added that the proposed plan is "critical in providing resources to those who are working to solve problems in the Rio Grande neighborhood everyday."

"No law enforcement agency in the State is more equipped to deal with the unique situation that exists in the Rio Grande area," the statement said. "Our officers want to hold accountable those who are breaking the law, and compassionately help those in need. When given the resources to do their jobs fully, they can create real change in the area."

Biskupski has proposed approximately $2.5 million in her budget recommendation to go toward homeless services and to help the "mitigation efforts surrounding the shelter."

"These dollars will go to ensure those experiencing homelessness have access to the help they need, expand on successful programming in the area, and make environmental changes to help deter criminal behavior."

In September 2016, Salt Lake City and state officials announced a coordinated operation dubbed “Operation Diversion.” This was an effort to attack the drug market in the Rio Grande District area, particularly among the homeless population. At the time, Hughes said the operation was to focus on the “wolves amongst the most vulnerable in this state.”

In this operation, individuals were rounded up for various drug-related offenses or outstanding warrants and were taken to a receiving center near the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building. Here they were assessed and then asked whether they would prefer to receive immediate treatment or to go to jail. In the months that followed and after several phases of rounding up individuals, a majority of individuals accepted treatment over going to jail, according to Salt Lake police.

As of April 21, police had rounded up 366 individuals, of which 326 have entered treatment or are waiting for treatment, according to data released by the Salt Lake City Police Department to KSL.com. A total of 105 individuals who participated in a treatment program have since left, including 33 individuals who have re-engaged in drug-related activities for a second time and are not currently in treatment.

In March, Gov. Gary Herbert signed HB441, which provided approximately $10 million in state funding to help combat the homeless issue in the state. The bill provides funding for new homeless resource centers throughout the state and to help get homeless individuals into various housing opportunities.

The Salt Lake County Jail will receive a portion of the funding and is expected to help Winder lift booking restrictions to open up space for individuals in need of incarceration.

Contributing: Katie McKellar

Related topics