Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sheriff-elect Carlton lists jail and professionalism as priority

Programs for children and the welfare of the elderly along with concerns about the condition of the Nevada County Jail were among the topics covered by Nevada County Sheriff-elect Bobby Carlton during the Prescott Kiwanis Clubs Aug. 24 meeting.

Carlton said he hopes to have a database of seniors in the area for use by sheriffs deputies.

They were the leaders in this county and city before we came along, Carlton said. He said they deserve concern now that theyre older and sometimes far from family.

On the topic of the jail, Carlton said he doesnt have a plan, but said one will need to be put into place soon.

That jail is probably the oldest in Arkansas still in use, Carlton said.

He said hes asked the staff to compile a list of needed repairs and one of the bigger items on that list is plumbing.

The jail has experienced budget issues this year and Carlton said a big part of that can be attributed to the fact that the county is paying to house a teenager in a neighboring county - a cost of several thousand dollars each month. Though the youth has been charged as one of the suspects in a murder case, he still must be housed as a juvenile because he is 17 years old. The cost is ranging between $3,000 and $4,000 per month simply for housing the teen.

I think that jail is an issue thats go to be addressed, Carlton said.

Carlton said there has been discussions about the possibility of discontinuing use of the jail because of the cost of repairing or replacing the facility, but said thats really not an option. He said the current charge for housing inmates in the neighboring counties is around $130 per day. With an average of more than 20 inmates in the Nevada County Jail at any given time, the cost of housing those prisoners elsewhere would amount to thousands of dollars annually - a price the county cant stand, Carlton said.

Other issues Carlton said he plans to address as soon as he takes office have to do with training and appearance. He said hell be working on training programs, especially for dispatchers and office staff. There are options available, including the possibility of bringing instructors to Nevada County to perfom training, Carlton said.

A professional appearance will likely begin with uniforms for dispatchers and others at the jail. Carlton said that might consist of simple t-shirts that have the Nevada County Sheriffs Office insignia, but said he believes its important to present a professional appearance.

Carlton said hes also heard some comments regarding the ability to hire professional officers. He said some people say its impossible to catch the interest of professionals, but said he doesnt think thats true.

Youre a good person before youre paid, he said. You cant buy professionalism.

He said he believes officers who care are vital to the success of the department.

Carlton takes office Jan. 1.