Reopening Of Ottawa Co. Jail Delayed, Inmates Moved Again

The reopening of the Ottawa County Jail is delayed again. 

Inmates were transferred to neighboring jails after the Oct. 19, 2019, electrical fire at the jail. Ottawa County Sheriff Jeremy Floyd told says crews don’t know why the sprinkler system didn’t go off, and after constant repairs, it’s still not working correctly. 

Previous Story: Electrical Fire Forces Ottawa County Jail To Shut Down 

Previous Story: Ottawa County Inmates Moved Again After Jail Problems 

Floyd said his office was planning to have inmates return early this week, then it was delayed to Thursday and then delayed once again. 

“It’s been a nightmare trying to jump over the hurdles and go through the hoops,” Floyd said. 

Inmates have previously been housed at counties such as Tulsa, Delaware, and Rogers and currently, are at Washington and Craig Counties. 

Craig County Sheriff Heath Winfrey says he’s happy to help regardless of the reason. 

“The initial reason for removal was smoke and potential smoke damage to the jail,” said Winfrey.

Floyd said no one ordered him to move the inmates, but he made an administrative decision because of liability concerns. 

“If we move the inmates back without meeting that criteria of the standard and the fire marshal, they could actually write us up or even refer us to the attorney general’s office for not being compliant,” Floyd explained. 

Ottawa County Commissioner Chad Masterson said he agrees with Floyd’s decision and is grateful other jails are helping even though it’s costing the county. 

For example, Washington County Sheriff Scott Owen said his office is charging $37 a day for each inmate. 

When asked whether Ottawa County will have enough money to pay, Masterson said it may take time. 

“Our goal is to get our prisoners back, and once we get our prisoners there, we can start generating money through commissary,” Masterson said. 

Floyd said it’s unknown how much longer it will take to fix the issues.