Overnight Fire At Lee County Jail Prompts Sheriff To Highlight Need For New Facility

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – An overnight fire damages the Lee County Jail, including a new roof.  While no one was injured, Sheriff Jim Johnson says the blaze backs up what he’s been saying for years, that a new jail and justice complex is long overdue.  The Lee County jail laundry room floor is covered in water,  with the smell of smoke in the air. A clothes dryer vent is scorched, leaving more evidence in the aftermath of a Wednesday fire.

“Something is going to have to be done, I don’t know what it’s going to take, but apparently a life is going to have to be lost before somebody’s attention is gotten to where they realize that this facility absolutely does not need to be standing and occupied by employees or inmates,” said Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson.

Johnson has been vocal about the need for a new jail and justice center for years.  Last summer, Lee County Supervisors rejected a proposed 50 million dollar jail and law enforcement complex, saying the tax hike needed would be too high. Since then, supervisors have not agreed on other proposals to renovate the 20 year old complex.

In the meantime, Johnson says the costs and potential risks, keep mounting.

“We’ve lost two dryers and two washing units, about 20 to 25 thousand dollars apiece, another bad thing is we had a brand new roof, that was over 100 thousand dollars it was just put on this old facility and now it’s been damaged due to this fire, we also had to evacuate this portion of the facility, which included all of the kitchen, washer and dryer area, trustee dorm and medical  ward received damage,” the sheriff said.

Sheriff Johnson is candid about frustrations he, and his department employees have with the current building.  He says it’s time for supervisors to look at the issue again, and make tough decisions.

“I definitely understand his concerns, we’ve been all around this the last two years,” said Board of Supervisors President Mike Smith.  Smith says he will have a proposal soon regarding the jail.

“I want to hire an outside consultant to come in here and look at our population, our crime rate and make us some professional, give professional advice on what we need to do to fix this problem with the least amount of dollars spent,” Smith said.

Smith hopes to present the idea for a consultant to the board in the next six to eight weeks.

Last summer, to help reduce overcrowded conditions, Johnson opted not to hold some inmates facing misdemeanor charges.