COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Overcrowding is back at the Branch County jail, only a month after the first emergency declaration for the lockup in 2015 ended. 9 bookings at the jail yesterday brought the inmate population to 145, three over the rated capacity which was reached on Wednesday when there were a dozen arrests. There were also 12 arrests listed on the booking sheet for Monday.
It’s a chronic problem that shows no signs of letting up. The last emergency situation eased on February 20th when the number of prisoners fell to 127, which is 20% below the rated capacity. That’s the target number when an emergency exists. The county was able to get to 127 this time with bonds being lowered and the fewer arrests that occurred during the previous 3 weeks rather than having the courts order early releases with sentence reductions.
The judges would be notified again by Sheriff John Pollack if the prisoner population were to stay above capacity for seven straight days. 4 overcrowding emergencies happened in 2014.
