Hennepin County will pay $5.4M to move inmates following Department of Corrections order
MINNEAPOLIS — Hennepin County will pay $5.4 million to move inmates from its jail to facilities in other counties following an inmate reduction order from the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
The department's order calls for a maximum of 600 inmates at the jail at any given time. As of Wednesday morning, there were more than 800 people listed as in custody on the jail's online roster.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved an amended agreement with seven other counties "to temporarily board Hennepin County detainees at their county jail or county correctional facility during the estimated period of December 3, 2024 through May 30, 2025."
The amended agreements are with Anoka, Goodhue, Ramsey, Sherburne, Chisago, Scott and Wright counties. Hennepin also has agreements with Carver and Washington counties that will not be amended.
"The other counties will provide secure custody, care, and safekeeping of Hennepin County detainees in their county jail or county correctional facility," the resolution states. "This includes providing the same level of medical care and services provided to their detainees."
The total cost of all agreements now stands at $5,420,000, according to the county's resolution.
Hennepin County received two extensions on the inmate reduction, the deadline of which is Thursday at noon.
The reduction order came in the wake of the deaths of at least eight inmates either in the jail or after being transported for treatment since 2022, and from chronic failures to meet well-being checks and staffing requirements.
Hennepin County's resolution calls for a written plan from the sheriff's office "to address the strategy, programming and resources for long term solutions" no later than the beginning of March.
Note: The video above originally aired Nov. 14, 2024.
