Sheriffs: County needs to handle food

By By Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
The Alabama Sheriff’s Association is calling on County Commissions across the state to assume responsibility for feeding inmates in its jails.
The association passed a resolution calling on the county’s to assume control of the food program. Sheriff Greg Bartlett, a member of the association, was briefly jailed after a judge said he was in contempt of an order to provide adequate food for inmates.
The association voted to turn the fund over to the county commissions, a process that’s already taking place in 12 counties.
Current Alabama law allows sheriffs to keep an overages from the state-mandated rate of $1.75 a day per inmate. However, Bartlett said, it also makes them responsible for extra costs.
The association’s recommendation was presented to the State Senate in the form of a bill to be enacted last week.