Several municipal police agencies have been looking into taking cases involving incarcerated prisoners to General Sessions Court rather than handling them in their own courts.
Red Bank Police Chief Robert Simpson said, "Handling prisoners with our inadequate facilities is a constant issue every time we hold court."
He said Red Bank averages 18-24 inmates per court day, and he said the town has only a holding cell with space for eight prisoners and a small cell where four can be housed. There is a bathroom for the holding cell, but not for the smaller lockup.
Chief Simpson said, "Another issue is male and female prisoners. We have to keep them segregated."
He said the situation is currently handled by sending officers in shifts to the Silverdale Workhouse, but he said that takes many officers off the streets and brings overtime costs and extended court hours. "Our detective division is shut down all that time," he said.
Chief Simpson said at one time Red Bank had a dispatcher who doubled as the jailer. He said that position went away with 911 changes. He said, "Now we don't have a jailer and we don't have a certified jail. We don't have a way to feed prisoners and provide medical care for them."
Another issue, he said, involves dangers during transport. He said, "Recently, we had a fight break out between female inmates. We had to stop the van and break it up."
Chief Simpson said the East Ridge Police Department has similar issues and concerns. He said Soddy Daisy is in the same situation.
He said, "I understand that Signal Mountain now takes their jail cases to Sessions Court, and that is working out well for them."
Chief Simpson said it is preferable to keep as many of the cases as possible in Red Bank for the convenience of citizens. But he said the jail situation is becoming a major problem.
Vince Dean, Criminal Court clerk, said he has been contacted by Red Bank and East Ridge Police officials on the issue of moving the jail cases downtown.
He said by state law "we would be obligated to take them."
Mr. Dean, a former East Ridge official himself, said he understands that under the East Ridge charter that the municipal court has exclusive control over both local and state cases - so that is apparently a roadblock to the move.
Mr. Dean said, "We have been in discussions. We are just exploring and brainstorming. We're talking logistics."
Red Bank City Judge Johnny Houston said no one has broached the jail problem situation with him or informed him that talks were going on downtown.
He said, "Two months ago I was asked if I had heard anything about this. I told them no and discounted it because I didn't hear anything more. Now I am told they have been meeting with county officials.
Judge Houston, whose term runs until 2022, said there are downsides to moving the cases away from the city, including having Red Bank officers tied up downtown during a crowded General Sessions Court docket.
He said local judges are more familiar with the background of the local cases and the characters involved - including many repeats - "than a judge downtown who may be overwhelmed by the sheer numbers."
He stated, "The local officers and judge have more of a feel for the citizens and can fashion a more equitable remedy."
Judge Houston, who has been Red Bank judge for 13 years, said, "If you start taking away the town duties, why do you need a police department? Why do you need to be a town?"
East Ridge Judge Cris Helton said, "It is unfortunate that the people looking at this move did not consult the people who truly understand the court process. I was never approached about this move. You would think that the police departments would consult the judge of the jurisdiction prior to exploring this option.
"If they would have come to me prior, I would have explained that a move of this nature would be detrimental to the city of East Ridge and be cost prohibitive to accomplish. What they don’t understand is that if all the criminal cases were to go to Sessions Court the city of East Ridge alone would lose about $250,000 in income, which goes a long way to fund the police department.
"If the people behind this understood the process, they would know that if the cases go to Sessions Court the city would garner very few if any funds from the court costs and many of the city ordinance cases would have to be sent along with the state cases.
"While I understand the logistics of transporting prisoners, the people behind this proposal are very short-sighted in the true costs of such a move. The cities involved would lose court costs while at the same time increasing officer overtime at an already over-crowded Sessions Court.
"Unless the chiefs of these jurisdictions want to move to metro government there is no reason to even look into such a move."