PRISONS | New Adelanto deputy would be dedicated to immigration jail

PRISONS

New Adelanto deputy would be dedicated to immigration jail

By Shea Johnson
Staff Writer

Posted Jun. 21, 2015 at 5:33 PM 

ADELANTO — The City Council on Wednesday will consider entering into a memorandum of understanding with GEO Group, Inc. that will pay the city almost $175,000 annually for a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's deputy dedicated to responding to emergencies at GEO's immigration detainee facility.

The sum also will cover related equipment for the deputy, according to a city staff report.

GEO since 2011 has operated the Adelanto Detention Facility, which is expected next month to add 640 beds to increase total capacity to 1,940 beds. The facility has sometimes been criticized by civil rights advocates for its treatment of inmates.

The proposal to be heard Wednesday comes as an existing MOU between the city and the private jail operator is set to expire June 30. In the previous deal, GEO paid the city just $75,000 for the cost of a deputy.

"On occasion there is a need for police response to investigate incidents at the facility," the report said. "Since the city does not have sufficient police officers to allow for incidents to be investigated as part of the normal police routine, The GEO Group and the city met to determine the best method for response."

While the new deputy's focus will be at the facility, the city could sometimes reap the benefit of extra law enforcement as well.

Should the Council approve the new contract, the deputy paid for by GEO also would be available to respond to other sites within the city, including schools, "on an emergency basis or when services are not needed at a particular time at the facility," the report said.

GEO would pay the city $174,866 each year between July 1 to June 30. Should the city terminate the MOU during the fiscal year, they will be liable to pay GEO the prorated reimbursement.