Info and Photo Gallery: GCSD invites citizens to tour the expanded Greene County Jail Thursday evening

When a limestone plaque set into the northeast corner of the new building is completed, it will feature the Indiana State Seal in the middle of a star with the words “Greene County, Indiana.”

Inmates in the Greene County Jail will move into a new state-of-the-art facility sometime after the first of June but before that happens, Greene County’s citizens will get a chance to walk through and inspect the new building. The public is invited to tour the new jail this Thursday evening, May 23, from 5-7 p.m.

This will be the only opportunity for citizens to walk through every area of the building and get a close look at the new booking area with holding cells, isolation cells and padded cells, the minimum security dormitories, the dayrooms and cells for medium and maximum security inmates, the utility areas behind the scenes, the sally port/garage area, the inmate recreation area and the tower where jailers can see into every inmate area and monitor over 100 video surveillance cameras.

Greene County Sheriff Mike Hasler said he expects inmates will be moved from the current jail into the new facility in early June.  Once the inmates start moving in, the new building will be off limits to the general public.

Visitors of all physical abilities will be welcome to take the tour. The building is handicap accessible with the exception of the tower. There is no elevator. Visitors will walk up a set of stairs to enter the tower area, but all other areas of the building are accessible to those with limited mobility or using a walker or wheelchair. In fact, the building is equipped to house inmates with physical limitations including those in wheelchairs.

The new building is located directly to the east of the older building and construction is underway to complete a corridor between the two buildings.

Parking for visitors during the tour is available on the north side of both buildings. There is one new parking lot on the north side of the new building. If it is full, other parking areas are close by. Sheriff’s department personnel will be around to direct visitors into the building.

Visitors will enter through the regular door or overhead door into the sally port where they will be greeted by someone from the sheriff’s department to start their tour.

Greene County Sheriff Mike Hasler, Chief Deputy George Dallaire and other officers and staff will conduct the tours and answer questions.

It’s a tour you won’t want to miss. A photo gallery posted below shows part of what will be seen on the tour but there’s more and GCSD personnel will be answering questions and pointing out more details along the way.

According to Chief Deputy George Dallaire, when the new building is completed, it will be the most technically advanced jail in the state.

A tour given last week by Dallaire and Sheriff Hasler to Kermit and Anna Rochelle of GreeneStreets left little doubt, this is an impressive facility for Greene County.

In short, Sheriff Hasler said, “This is not your grandfather’s jail.”

Photo Gallery: ‘This is not your grandfather’s jail”

Photo credit: All photos were taken by Kermit Rochelle or Anna Rochelle of GreeneStreets

Limestone Plaque on northeast corner

Visitors arriving to tour the new jail building may notice a custom limestone plaque set into the northeast corner of the building. Like the building, it’s ready for the finishing touch still to come. Greene County Sheriff Mike Hasler said the state seal is still to be added to the inner circle of the plaque.

Exterior design matches the existing building

The colors and design of brickwork on the new building as well as colors of siding and various trims have all been selected to match the colors and designs of the current building. The expansion project, at a cost of over $15 million, built by Weddle Construction, was designed by architects RQAW. Garmong served as the project manager. Construction began in February of 2018. When the expansion is completed, the Greene County Jail will be able to house 288 inmates.

Sally Port

Visitors arriving for the tour will enter the building through the sally port. It is much larger, about two times larger, than the current sally port into the older building. The Indiana Department of Corrections (DOC) sometimes uses buses to transport inmates. The old sally port was not large enough but the new sally port can accommodate - buses will be able to enter and the overhead doors can be closed while inmates are getting on or off the bus.

Sheriff Hasler in the sally port

On his way into the new building, Greene County Sheriff Mike Hasler stopped inside the sally port to talk to construction workers putting the finishing touches on the building. This area is where most individuals will enter the jail to be booked in. Officers transporting someone to the jail will drive into the sally port and from there they will enter the booking and holding area.

Holding cell

One of the first rooms (not pictured) visitors will see is dedicated to testing individuals suspected of alcohol or substance abuse. Chief Deputy George Dallaire explained that if they pass and are not being detained for anything else, they’ll turn and go right back out the door. If they don’t pass, they will continue on in to the booking area. The photo shows one of the holding cells in the booking area with built-in benches and empty floor space for sleeping mats. There are three holding cells with each one able to hold approximately 12 people.

In a holding cell

This gallery has several photos of the bathroom facilities in various cells - because it’s an important part of each cell. They are all stainless steel including the mirrors that are unbreakable sheets of polished stainless mounted on walls.

In a holding cell

A different configuration of the bathroom facility in a holding cell. All toilets in cell areas are equipped with a sensor that will shut the water off in case of an overflow. Dallarie said in the past, inmates have stuffed various items into toilets but the new system is designed to lessen the negative impact of these types of actions.

All stainless steel

Chief Deputy George Dallaire explains all of the bathroom facilities are all-stainless steel that can’t be broken and even grab bars are specially constructed so nothing can be tied to them.

Booking benches

A series of benches line both sides of the elevated platform in the main booking area. When an individual is entering the jail, they will be directed to sit on one of these steel benches and they can be handcuffed to the bench if necessary.

The platform in booking

The booking area in the old building is extremely small compared to the space in the new building. In the center of the booking area, jail officers will work on an elevated platform equipped with computers where they can tend to business and monitor numerous cells which line both sides of the area. In the booking area, there are three holding cells, for approximately 12 inmates each, as well as four isolation cells and six padded cells. New inmates are expected to be housed in one of the cells in the booking area until they have appeared in court for their initial hearings. Following that they will be moved into the main jail area.

The view for a prisoner in booking

While standing on the booking platform, Sheriff Hasler talks to a construction worker. This photo was taken from the view of a new inmate who will step up to one of these “windows” to give his/her information to a jail officer then have his/her mug shot taken.

Inside a padded cell

This view is from inside a padded cell looking out into the booking area, with the door open. Note the camera mounted in the upper corner. There are well over 100 video surveillance cameras in the building.

Inside a padded cell

Chief Deputy Dallaire shows the thickness of the padded walls before he opened the door to the cell’s separate bathroom and shower area which can be left open or can be kept closed and locked when necessary.

A floor drain inside a padded cell

Inside the padded cells, the floor is also padded, with a drain in the center. Whenever necessary, the floor drain can be flushed by a jailer pushing a button on the outside of the cell.

Windows in doors can be covered

Many of the doors which have windows are equipped with metal covers.

Electronic locks

In an interior hallway, Chief Deputy Dallaire explains how doors can be opened by using an electronic key fob. In the event of a loss of power, all doors can also be opened the old-fashioned way, with a key.

Behind the scenes

Visitors touring the new jail building will be able to walk behind the scenes into the utility areas between the cell pods and the exterior walls. Jail personnel and maintenance workers will be able to get to all equipment without entering inmate areas.

Air handler

This photo shows one of the air handlers that provide fresh air for heating and air conditioning rather than recirculating stale air. Air handlers will maintain a negative air flow which should cut down on recirculation and reduce the spread of sickness.

Air handler

This is another view of one of the air handlers.

Behind the cells

The view down the utility area behind the cells. To the left is the exterior wall. To the right, the back side of inmate cells.

A visitor walking through the utility area

On a tour of the new building, Kermit Rochelle walks through the utility area behind inmate cells.

In the tower

Visitors will climb a fairly long set of steps to enter the tower area where jail staff will be surrounded by glass allowing them a view down into every cell pod where inmates are housed.

Big screens mounted in the tower area allow jail staff to monitor over 100 video surveilance cameras mounted throughout the building and on the exterior of the building.

Technically advanced jail

Chief Deputy George Dallaire, in the tower control area, says when the building is completed, Greene County’s jail will be the most technically advanced jail in the state.

The back of the tower area includes restroom facilities for jail staff as well as a small kitchen and snack area.

This is a view from the tower into three separate cell pods.

Sheriff Hasler explains to a tour visitor that jailers are required to walk by every cell to check on inmates every hour. Outside each cell and in the dormitories there is a watch tour button the jailer will hit as he/she walks by that will in turn log the check into the computer system.

Minimum security dormitory area

This is the view from the tower into one of the dormitory-style pods for minimum security inmates. In these areas, inmates will sleep on bunks that are open to the day area and shared restroom facilities. Of note, in all cell areas, many of the stainless steel tabletops have checkers/chess grids etched onto the surface.

This is a view into a pod equipped with two or four-man cells that can house medium or maximum security inmates.

This is a view into a pod with two or four-man cells that can house a larger number of medium or maximum security inmates.

Jail staff in the tower will also have a view down into the recreation area. The area has an elevated overhead door that can be opened to allow fresh air and more sunshine into the area.

Visitors may notice a small opening from the tower into each pod of cells and into the recreation area. This is a “diplomacy hatch” allowing jail staff to deploy something like tear gas in the event of unrest or other incident.

Sheriff Mike Hasler talks to and answers questions for a tour visitor last week. Hasler explains he and other administrators have participated in weekly project meetings and have been closely involved in the construction of the new building, making changes and requesting features to to make the jail as secure and safe as possible.

Sheriff Hasler, on left, explains that Indiana House Bill 1006, passed and effective in 2014, requires county jails to house inmates convicted of all misdemeanors and Level 6 felonies. Some of these were previously transferred to serve time in the Indiana Department of Corrections (DOC) but under the new law, they serve their time in-county. This is causing a significant increase in the local inmate population and the old jail did not have the room. With the expansion, Hasler expects the facility will be able to handle the number of county inmates for at least 20 years into the future.

Chief Deputy George Dallaire, on right, said the current jail population in the old facility hovers around 90 inmates. After the expansion is opened, the jail will have extra beds over and above the current number of county inmates. Dallaire said they will be able to accept inmates from other counties who will pay Greene County to house their inmates.

Dallaire says several other counties have already reserved beds in the new Greene County Jail.

Inside the cell pods

When the tour is out of the tower and on the ground floor, visitors will be able to step inside a dormitory or a two-man or four-man cell. Here, Chief Deputy George Dallaire stands inside a four-man cell during a tour of the new building last week.

This is a view of one side of a four-man cell that can house medium or maximum security inmates.

Bunk beds are built into each cell but there are no ladders. Instead, foot holds are built-in to the wall beside the bunks.

Inside a dormitory area

Bunk beds inside one of the dormitory areas for minimum security inmates.

Shared restroom facility inside a dormitory area.

This dormitory area is equipped with two showers, one regular and a larger one equipped with a drop-down seat to be wheelchair and handicap-accessible.

More views of the recreation area

New building to the left, older building to the right, corridor straight ahead. This area outside and in between the buildings will be equipped with benches or chairs where visitors can wait outdoors for an inmate to be released or wait for their visitation time. The new building will be equipped with a video conferencing system for visitors to speak with inmates, similar to making a Skype video call. Monitors for visitors will be located in an area in the older building. Monitors for inmates will be located in the cell pods.

Sheriff Hasler walks through the interior hallway with doors to the cell pods on either side. Soon, jail officers and other staff will complete training in the new building before inmates are moved in.

This photo shows the existing entrance into the older building. The secure corridor between the old and the new must be completed before inmates are moved because the kitchen facilities will remain in the older building and food will be transported through the corridor into the new building. Once inmates are moved, several areas of the old building will be renovated. Renovations are scheduled to be completed in October but Sheriff Hasler says all construction could possibly be completed in September. Administrative offices will stay in the older building as will the lobby area for the general public and those arriving to visit with inmates.