Nearly $4M Jail Expansion Project Nearing Completion In Rogers County

Rogers County is getting closer to completing a nearly $4 million jail expansion project.

The project started last year, but was pushed back due to COVID-19 and shipping delays.

The expansion will take the jail's capacity from 250 inmates to 325, which will help keep the jail from overcrowding and allow staff to isolate inmates when needed.

The sheriff's office says Rogers County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state and the jail is almost always full.

The expansion project was approved in 2020 and is being paid for by federal funding.

Four more cells are being added to the booking area where staff can monitor inmates who are combative, suicidal or dealing with drug addiction. The extra space will also allow staff to isolate inmates with infectious diseases like COVID-19.

Officials have also increased the surveillance system by adding 50 new cameras for a total of 140 in the jail.

"Being able to have better security, better eyes as a result of that we have located two inmates who were digesting fentanyl and essentially in the process of an overdose so that has been very valuable for us," said Rogers County Undersheriff Jon Sappington.

The sheriff's office says they are hoping the project is done by the end of this year or early 2023.