SPOKANE, Wash.-- The Spokane County Sheriff's Office raised the county jail status to 'critical' Monday morning. That means some suspects who wouldnormally be booked into jail won't be, because of capacity issues.
Spokane County Detention Services staff began limiting new inmate bookings after the jail count exceeded 650 inmates about 6 a.m., according to the Sheriff's Office. Charges that won't be booked include misdemeanor thefts, malicious mischief ortrespass. Exceptions can be made by jail shift sergeants depending on circumstances.
According to the Sheriff's Office, until the count again drops below 650, bookings will be limited to:
- All felony charges
- All probation violations
- Legislatively-mandates misdemeanor charges or warrants for domestic violence
- All new Driving while Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs charges
- All DUI warrants
- All warrants stating 'No release own recognizance/Spokane County Jail
Sheriff's Administrators consider any number above 650 inmates to be unsafe to both the jail population and staff, according to a statement released Monday.
