TOLEDO, Ohio — Site preparation got underway this week for a new Lucas County Jail.
Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre said the new jail will drastically improve the county's incarceration system.
The sheriff updated Toledo City Council on Thursday on the progress of the project and told WTOL 11 he did so so that there are no delays with permits and other administrative requirements.
After years and years of false starts trying to find a new home for the jail, he wants the process to be a smooth one.
The official groundbreaking isn't until November 6, but work at the site is already underway and this new jail is expected to have multiple notable improvements.
Sheriff Navarre said it will not only have more beds, but it will also have a new approach to watching inmates, creating large open spaces to house them with 24/7 viewing areas in the center. He said this will reduce the amount of workers needed.
Additionally, the sheriff said the new jail will have on-site mental health facilities, something he said he can't elaborate on until the ink is dried on a contract with an outside medical entity that will run it.
The transfer of inmates will also change. Right now, there are plans to build a skywalk to a small building across the street from the jail that will house courtroom proceedings. Navarre said we can even expect to see the use of virtual courtrooms.
"You literally can build a courtroom in a jail with video where the judge can appear on video in life-size form and that eliminates the need for transporting prisoners between courtrooms," said Navarre. "It provides more efficient operation and allows for a much safer environment."
The sheriff said all of these changes are part of a larger effort to modernize jails all around the country.
"Our employees are terrified of it, to be honest with you, they are," said Navarre. "Because they don't know this, they've never operated under this system, but I'll tell you it's been used all around the country. We've been to those facilities, we've talked to those people, and it works."
The jail is expected to be complete and take inmates in 2026 or early 2027.
This all comes after years of searching for the right site. Five previous sites were considered, including the current health department.
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