Platte County citizens to vote on jail expansion [Video]

Platte County Sheriff Mark Owen has raised concerns about the state of the county jail, citing overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure as major issues. The Platte County Jail is located in the basement of the administration building in Platte City and was built 25 years ago. “The jail is outdated in several ways,” Owen said. “The way the jails operate have changed. The structures of the jails have changed.” Originally designed to hold around 120 inmates, the jail now frequently houses as many as 280. Owen attributes this to the county’s population growth of 80% since 1997. With three inmates per cell and a weakening infrastructure, the sheriff warns of a dangerous situation for employees. “The deterioration of the facility itself is now making where the inmates of breaking things off and making weapons,” Owen said. The county is hoping for a new half-cent sales tax to be approved in August. …