Beebe jail a surprise AR

The Daily Citizen

There is more than one jail in White County. It is a fact that surprised David Underwood, who is coordinator for the state’s jail review board.

A six-bed jail in the back of the Beebe Police Department has operated for two years without any oversight from the state’s jail standards commission.

Although no inspector has reviewed the jail since it opened in 2003, Beebe Police Chief Jess Odom said the jail has elicited no complaints from the occasional inmate who stays there.

Arkansas law states that a local jail commission is to annually inspect all local jail and holding facilities for compliance with statewide standards.

Butch Gardner, of the local Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee of the judicial district which includes White County, said he was not aware of any jail in Beebe and questioned whether his committee was responsible for examining any city jails.

Underwood, statewide coordinator for the Criminal Detention Facility Review Committee, said he has no record that a jail in Beebe opened in 2003.

Underwood said Beebe Police Chief Jess Odom contacted him in past years to inform him of plans to expand the department’s holding facility into a jail. Although Underwood said he advised Odom on how to build according to state jail standards, Underwood said he was not aware that Odom had proceeded with the construction.

“I didn’t realize there was a jail in Beebe,” Underwood said. “I knew they were leaning that way, I just did not know it was open... We’ll go and check it and make sure he has everything done [according to regulations].”

Odom said that he anticipated no trouble when his jail is finally inspected.

“Mr. Underwood came down here before we ever started our facility,” Odom said. “He told us what we needed to do to provide for our inmates. I don’t know any place where we are in violation of those inspections.”

The approximately 110 adult and 15 juvenile detention facilities in Arkansas are judged according to a set of jail standards adopted by the state legislature that include topics ranging from the security at the facility to the rights of inmates, Underwood said.

The jail in Beebe opened in June of 2003 and cost a total of $5,485.96 to build and furnish in the back of the police department, said Beebe City Treasurer and Clerk Paul Hill. By housing its own prisoners, Beebe has become responsible for providing medical care and food to inmates, Hill said.

Beebe’s jail contains room for six inmates and has a holding cell. It is housed in an area in the back of the police department. On Tuesday, only one inmate was being detained at the city jail, Odom said.

“It’s a temporary facility and not a lock down for long-term housing,” Odom said. “We’re a very laid back facility. We don’t hold violent inmates. If we have problems or medical [care is required] we send them up to the county jail... Anyone here any length of time has been convicted and is on work release detail.”

The jail does not house women, Odom said.

The Beebe Police Department is the only municipal police department in White County to operate a jail. The White County Detention Center, which routinely holds upwards of 130 inmates, takes in those arrested by city police departments around the county.

White County Sheriff Pat Garrett said that Odom’s jail assists in alleviating overcrowding problem at the county jail, which had in recent years been on a short list of county jails that did not meet state regulations.

Prior to becoming Beebe Police Chief, Odom was White County Sheriff and had oversight of the county jail.

Underwood commended Odom for building more jail space in a county where inmates are packed like “sardines in a tin” at the main county jail.