This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Salt Lake County Sheriff Aaron Kennard says a program billed as an "alternative to incarceration" is doing nothing to solve the jail population problem.
Even though the program removes prisoners from jail, Kennard says he doesn't have the resources to monitor them once they are sprung. He is calling for at least 50 more ankle bracelets. And while prisoners keep coming from the courts, he might lose jail space.
"It may be that we've cut a little bit into the muscle, and not just the fat," Kennard told the Salt Lake County Council on Tuesday.
He wants the council to re-think a recent resolution endorsing the Day Reporting Center - a facility for nonviolent drug offenders and other misdemeanants - which forced the sheriff to release 117 prisoners.
Kennard also complained that the council's resolution will prompt a March 1 closure of another jail unit - 64 more beds lost - putting in jeopardy the jail's in-house drug treatment program.
And, he says arbitrary court sentences are pushing up the jail population and hampering his ability to manage it.
"I'm getting to a point where I'm going to have to violate the judges' orders," Kennard said.
After listening to the litany, council members called on county insiders to review the effectiveness of the reporting center and report back in June.
"What we're doing here is unique," Councilman Randy Horiuchi said, urging patience for the release program.
Still, he said, a review is appropriate.
"We appreciate that we've put you between a rock and a hard place," Councilman Mark Crockett told Kennard. "You've been a very good sport."
The controversy began last month after the county's Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC) criticized the council over the alternative to incarceration direction, advocated strongly by Mayor Peter Corroon.
On Tuesday, Councilman Joe Hatch fired back, saying CJAC has taken little action to address the jail problem.
"They have devolved into a debating society," Hatch said.
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are debating how much the state should reimburse counties for housing inmates, though an adjustment seems unlikely. Instead, legislators have suggested holding a summit on the issue later this year. Meantime, Kennard dispelled any notion that domestic violence offenders will be let out under the Day Reporting Center Model.
Also on the jail front:
l Sheriff Aaron Kennard confirmed that he will run for re-election this November.
"I've geared up my campaign," he said, adding a formal announcement is scheduled for early March.
l Rumors that Salt Lake County's Adult Detention Center could be privatized are just that: rumors.
"I will fight it with everything in my being," Kennard said, insisting there is no validity to the chatter.
l Should the county approve a Unified Police District, the person "running the show" will be up to a yet-to-be named governing board. Kennard says he will comply with that group's decision on whether the sheriff will serve as an administrator or just an adviser.
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