Ground Broken on Yellowstone County Detention Add-on

I predict this new facility will be filled by night three.

The difference is that it won't have a revolving door.

Officials from the City of Billings and Yellowstone County put on yellow vests and hard hats to ceremonially break ground on a new addition to the county's detention facility.  This expansion will provide a short-term holding area for those arrested and waiting for arraignment.  The construction is a physical start to a collaboration that began this last May.

The Capacity

I spoke with Brooke Logan of Sletten Companies as they will actually break asphalt-covered ground on this day and then build this facility.  It will have two floors, each with just under 4,700 square feet per floor.  Both floors will be utilized for holding arrestees.  The capacity will be 66 with a max capacity of 98.

This is an addition that will be connected to the current detention facility, not a separate building.  It will consume almost all the space now used as a parking lot directly west of the building.

Estimated time needed for completion will be twelve months.

This renovation will help curtail the overpopulating of our present jail facilities and the catch-and-release of habitual criminals.  As one officer explained, they will no longer be just let go; there will be a certainty of consequences.

The One Question I Didn't Ask

Does the expanded detention center have a courtroom?  Will there be a ready judge?

That would be the best addition to the project.  It could become a one-stop shop to Billings' criminal justice system.  And yes, we have vacancy.

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