Stevens County jail tax

Stevens County jail, cramped in the basement of the courthouse and county administrative building, wasn't designed to house inmates. It has long been overcrowded and suffers from poor conditions and safety hazards from tight, blind corners.

Section:Gallery

Sun., Oct. 29, 2023

Stevens County Sheriff Sgt. Ken Niegel gives a tour of the Stevens County Jail, showing the facility’s sally port on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Colville, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Stevens County Sheriff Sgt. Ken Niegel gives a tour of the Stevens County Jail, showing the facility’s sally port, on Tuesday in Colville, Wash.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Stevens County Sheriff Sgt. Ken Niegel gives a tour of the Stevens County Jail on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Colville, Wash. The outdated facility uses mechanical locks, instead of electronic, and has very narrow halls - creating safety hazards for staff and inmates.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Stevens County Sheriff Sgt. Ken Niegel gives a tour of the Stevens County Jail, showing a narrow stairwell which all incoming inmates must travel down to the jail, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Colville, Wash. Sgt. Niegel explained that handicapped or incapacitated inmates must be taken outside, around the facility and into the jail via a public elevator in the courthouse. Inebriated inmates can pose a serious safety hazard to both jail staff and themselves when negotiation the stairs.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review
Stevens County Sheriff Sgt. Ken Niegel gives a tour of the Stevens County Jail, showing a narrow stairwell which all incoming inmates must travel down to the jail, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Colville, Wash. Sgt. Niegel explained that handicapped or incapacitated inmates must be taken outside, around the facility and into the jail via a public elevator in the courthouse. Inebriated inmates can pose a serious safety hazard to both jail staff and themselves when negotiation the stairs.

Tyler Tjomsland The Spokesman-Review