Putnam Sheriff’s Department Introducing Idea Of Housing Federal Inmates

Putnam County Sheriff’s Department in negotiations with the Nashville Middle District United States Marshal to house federal inmates with the new jail addition.

Sheriff Eddie Farris said that this is an opportunity that has come about through a good working relationship with the state marshal’s office, so there is a good sense of trust. Farris said it also because of Cookeville’s proximity to Nashville.

“Right now they’re having to utilize some counties and some jails in Kentucky,” Farris said. “We are closer, we are accredited, and we run a good operation here. So that’s a plus for us and certainly something that they like to see.”

Farris said the benefit would be that the federal government would pay Putnam County up to $100 per day per inmate for housing. He said in the jail addition that number could be up to 110 inmates, for an estimated total of some $2.5 million brought in by housing federal inmates..

Farris said the inmates are pre-trial and will eventually be sent to federal prison. He said he believes this is something the Putnam County Jail can do with no problem.

“Obviously when you add a jail addition, in the research we’ve done, your first year your inmate population usually goes up about 25 percent and that may go up slightly more for us because we are introducing the thought of holding federal inmates to offset some of the costs,” Farris said. “But we should have plenty of room and if we have the staff to run that facility those extra inmates should not affect that.”

Farris said they have not signed a contract and are not in the phase yet, as they have to complete the facility. He said he feels confident this will move forward once that is complete.