PORT ANGELES — After a man arrested in Forks on a felony warrant was refused a bed at the Clallam County jail because of overcrowding, the mayor of Forks is pushing for some big changes.
Mayor Nedra Reed wants the county jail removed from the auspices of the Sheriff’s Department and made directly responsible to county commissioners.
Although officials say the change is technically possible, no firm proposals have been submitted the Clallam County commissioners for consideration.
And Sheriff Joe Martin, who oversees the jail administrator, said anybody who takes on the task will have to deal with the reality that there are more people to incarcerate than there is jail space.
Ongoing conflict
The conflict between Forks and the Sheriff’s Department has been ongoing, Reed said.
Forks police have been frustrated that PenCom dispatchers have told officers that there is no room at the jail for people arrested on felony warrants.
With a few notable exceptions like the Forks Police Department, PenCom is a regional dispatch system used by most fire and law enforcement agencies in Clallam County.
In response, Forks has started booking felony warrant suspects into the city jail and facilitates initial court appearances via video conference.
The city has also approached Port Angeles and Sequim about transporting their felony warrant arrests to Forks if they are refused at the county jail, Reed said.
