Safety concerns linger in Platte County after voters rejected a jail expansion

Platte County leaders are trying to figure out next steps after voters rejected a proposal to build a new jail in the county.

“It was a shock on election night that the voters rejected it by such a wide margin. It is a problem that's been ongoing for years," said commissioner Joe Vanover.

In 2019, the county failed to pass the first proposal. For this recent August election, voters took their decision to the polls and rejected the proposal once again despite the county spending thousands of dollars on educating the public.

“Any time a big issue like this comes around, the voters need to know what they're voting on. And that's why we hired an agency to help us educate the voters, to let them know what is on the ballot, what it means, what it would have done, what the situation is," said Vanover. "But twice now, the Platte County voters have rejected plans to expand the Platte County Jail.”

The jail which has room to house 180 inmates, but has seen that number go as high as 210 inmates. The county currently depends on other nearby county jails to house their overflowed inmates, but those county could soon be running out of space.

“We continue to grow as a county. More people are coming here and unfortunately criminals come here also. And with a jail that's that's full. Overcrowded. The judges are going to start to feel pressure to let people out of jail," said Vanover.

The county is now seeking the public's help once again. Leaders are holding a meeting on Monday, Sept. 30 to hear ideas and plans for the jail.

“we want to hear what the critics say we should have done, and we want to consider that and listen to them and anyone in the public can come and tell us you know what what they think we ought to do because it's a problem it's not going away it's just gonna get worse," said Vanover.

The meeting will is set to start at 9:00 a.m. and will be held on the second floor of the Administration Buidling in Platte City.
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