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Editor's note: This is number four in a series on the proposed county jail and law enforcement center.

If the new Chisago County Law Enforcement Center ever opens it is designed to be the most efficient compared to all other Minnesota facilities of similar size. Sheriff Todd Rivard says planners and designers aim to open a jail with a bed-to-staff ratio of 5.13, better even than the new jail in the northwest corner of the state that's operating with a bed-to-staff ratio of 4.76, and which is now the "most efficient" of jails with bed numbers in the upper 200s.

The county will be able to achieve this, Rivard continued, because an in-depth designing approach has been underway for years-- and jail programming research has been focusing on having one employee to do as many job functions as possible under state corrections standards.

Chisago County's existing jail-- at a 67 bed capacity-- operates at a bed-to-staff ratio of 2.58, or about half what the new facility could be.

Jail Administrator Brandon Thyen says staff knows what works and what doesn't due to years of making things function in the unfavorable conditions of the existing under-sized jail.

One feature the county proposes to make use of is developing video visitation in the new jail project.

While some people might think that sounds high tech and unnecessary, Thyen explains how this will save on operations costs long term. There won't be the need to move an inmate to a visitation room, he or she will see and talk with visitors by an internal feed close by their cell. Square footage devoted to various visiting rooms in areas of the jail won't be needed, saving money on overall size of the structure.

Thyen stated, "Video visitation cuts movement of inmates from place to place and reduces manpower" the staff needed to supervise these inmates and provide security to visiting civilians. Video visitation curtails contraband being handed off, and in general makes for a more tightly-run operation.

The plans for the new law enforcement center also contain office space for sheriff's staff. This is an "add alternate" which bidders estimate costs for as a separate package from the jail facility. If bids come in favorably, Sheriff Rivard said he really hopes to get office space at the new law enforcement center for his administrative staff. Some of his thinking is a desire to keep the whole department together; but also having staff available on-site means tasks can be more easily covered-- like rotating someone through the lobby reception and security position. There will be more people on hand to take shifts or fill in. (The courthouse and government center also would have expansion space for some years to come, with the vacated sheriff's administration section.)

Rivard said the estimate is $1.3 million for the add alternate.

A new communications center is part of the base bid. So much work needs to be done to the 911 and dispatch operation that the County Board left a new comm center intact along with the jail project.

Deleted from earlier layouts are a firing range and garage to store sheriff's squads. The county commissioners also down-sized the first layout proposed at 277 beds by deleting a 60-bed unit.

Chisago County is designing the jail to offer 45 beds for female offenders, 48 minimum security and 68 for what's called general population.

One staff member can oversee 60 beds but only if certain populations are consolidated based on gender and offense levels. There is what's called 'operating capacity' and then there's a bed number. Operating capacity relies on staffing/training, types of offenders and other corrections standards.

There will also be 64 beds in "special management" which will house offenders needing discipline, segregation or other accommodations outside of the regular inmates.

The design team has taken demographic projections, historic actual data and made educated estimates for how fast jail populations will grow as compared to the county's population statistics. Complicating the estimates is the fact that at some points in the past the jail population has been as much as 50 percent people who reside outside of Chisago County, according to Thyen.

The new jail project is being designed at 217, with the capability to attach one 60-bed pod (modular pre-built unit) to bring it to 277 within six years or so of opening.

The physical plant, the kitchen, programming spaces, gym etc. will have a square footage capable of handling a jail of 337 beds (one final 60-bed pod attached.).

Rivard said it is only sensible to construct a long term project like this with adequate core functions at the outset. To come along later and try to retro-fit a kitchen or laundry facility or boost the mechanical systems to handle additions is ill advised.

The new law enforcement center will have a kitchen and laundry, the food service will be awarded to the best bid and inmates will be expected to work in food service.

Laundry also will be staffed by inmate labor.

A huge issue in the current jail has been lack of space for handling inmates' medical needs. Two exam rooms are now in the preliminary design, which at some point will save tax dollars because medical doctors will come to the facility instead of an officer having to transport offenders off-site. The new medical rooms will create a more secure environment for both inmates and the supplies.

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