© 2024 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Officials Break Ground on Tulsa County Jail Expansion

Matt Trotter
/
KWGS

Construction on the Tulsa County Jail expansion begins next month, with the sheriff and county commissioners breaking ground this afternoon.

The 43,000-square feet addition will include two transitional units, office and counseling space, and an area for video court processing. But this is mostly about the two new mental health units.

"Over the years, we've been forced into — just like any other community in the United States — in dealing with some of the mental health issues that the states lack the funds to do, and these people are ending up in our jails and prisons," said Undersheriff Tim Albin.

Judge Carlos Chappelle handled the county’s mental health docket from 2008 to 2009. He said public health is the goal along with public safety.

"So we have a responsibility to provide appropriate care to those who are in our custody," Chappelle said.

Chappelle said crimes committed by the mentally ill need to be addressed, "but you're dealing with a lot of other issues ... which include everything from alcohol abuse, substance abuse, homelessness, intelligence issues — it's a myriad of things."

The mental health units will have 98 beds between them, taking mentally ill prisoners out of the general population.

Voters approved the bond funding construction of the jail expansion in May 2014.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.