Corrections Chief Shaun Shepherd, Former Sheriff Jim Hammond and Sheriff Austin Garrett
Hamilton County’s newly expanded jail at Silverdale will open Tuesday.
The county will enter a new era of corrections when a new $32 million state of the art jail opens.
Sheriff Austin Garrett said booking of prisoners will officially begin at 4 p.m. after a ceremony with local officials.
Talk radio 102.3 hosts Jed Mescon, Jim "J.R." Reynolds and Max O'Brien (Templeton) gave WGOW FM listeners a preview on their Monday morning program with guests Sheriff Garrett, former Sheriff Jim Hammond, and Deputy Chief Shaun Shepherd.
Sheriff Garrett said, “Hamilton County has the fourth largest jail in Tennessee. There are currently 1,100 inmates housed in our jail and we process an average of 100 per day.”
The sheriff said each person being booked will go through an elaborate body scan that will give correction officers all types of information about the person being arrested.
Deputy Chief of Corrections Shepherd said the jail has 400 security cameras for surveillance. The deputy chief said, “Our team has done an outstanding job of reducing narcotics in the jail but with the new equipment and latest technology it will be even harder to bring drugs in from the outside.”
The old Hamilton County Justice building opened in the Bicentennial year of 1976. Citing deteriorating conditions, former Sheriff Hammond decided to close the jail and move everything to Silverdale in the summer of 2021. During the radio program the former sheriff said his team had to work fast in planning and executing the move but, with phase one complete, inmates will be kept in a much safer environment.
Sheriff Garrett said he was proud planners were able to keep cost way below the first projected $250 million amount.
Sheriff Garrett said a lot of hard work has paid off thanks to everyone involved and taxpayers can be very proud of their accomplishments that will lead to a safer community.
Deputy Chief of Corrections Shaun Shepherd, Sheriff Austin Garrett, Max O'Brien (Templeton), Jed Mescon and Jim "J.R." Reynolds