SEATTLE — The King County Council approved an agreement to move about 50 inmates from King County jails like the facility in downtown Seattle to the South Correctional Entity or SCORE in Des Moines.
Several community members spoke out opposing the agreement during public comment wanting the $3.5 million to be spent on community solutions instead.
The goal of the agreement with SCORE is to help with capacity and staffing shortages.
The King County Corrections Guild said staffing and mandatory overtime are factors in the ordinance.
“We have to have an officer that's there to care for the inmates that are in our custody and, so if it is needed, we have to force somebody working a double shift then that's what happens,” said Dennis Folk, President King County Corrections Guild.
When it comes to the contract with SCORE, the Corrections Guild wants it to be a short-term solution.
“Our position has always been that this contract should sunset once we reach our staffing goals,” Folk said.
That’s something the council wants too and included in several amendments made to the agreement. Some of the amendments include quarterly reports to the council and council members get the final say on if the agreement is extended.
In February the ACLU sued King County over conditions at the Seattle jail, an issue brought up ahead of the council’s vote.
Councilmember Sarah Perry cited that the jail has one of the highest death rates in the nation. Six people died while in custody at the downtown Seattle jail in 2022. Perry noted the SCORE facility has had six deaths since 2011.
Along with housing inmates, the agreement would also open up booking for agencies on the south end like Federal Way who normally have to drive to downtown Seattle.
Some council members want to figure out long-lasting solutions to issues within the jail system.
“I don't feel comfortable that I've had all the opportunity to check all the boxes and explore all the alternatives so I will be a no-vote today,” said Councilmember Girmay Zahilay.
While others said it’s an emergency solution.
“I view this as an emergency response to an emergency in the jail. Almost like a flood or an earthquake. We have too many folks in there for a variety of reasons than we can safely staff to handle,” said Councilmember Rod Dembowski.
The agreement passed by a seven to two-vote. Inmates could be sent to SCORE as early as June and the agreement is set to last through Dec. 31, 2024.