First phase of Greene County Jail project complete as Sheriff’s Office moves into new campus

The sheriff’s administration made the switch to the new facilities in early August, going from a roughly 7,500-square-foot facility on Market Street in Xenia to a 17,000-square-foot facility on Greene Street, next to the Adult Detention Center.

The added leg room is a welcome and long overdue change, Anger said.

Credit: Bryant Billing

Credit: Bryant Billing

“I think that the people that do our job, this is the kind of facility that they’ve needed for a long time,” Anger said. “And it’s the kind of facility that they deserve for the sacrifices they make to go out and keep people safe every day.”

Previously, those wishing to renew their concealed carry licenses were simply at the mercy of the elements, Anger said.

“I would get out my car in the morning and greet people in line (outside), and I’d say, ‘Hey, you picked a great morning to be in our ‘lobby,’ it’s 70 degrees and sunny,’” he said.

One of the interesting elements about the new space for the sheriff’s administration is the origin of its furniture, Anger said. In searching for all-wood desks and tables that would stand the test of time, the county was approached by Yutzy Woodworking, an Ohio Amish furniture maker that offered to make all their furniture for 40% less than what commercial sellers were asking.

Not only did they do so, they built all the furniture in about a week, Anger said.

“We went up and visited their factory, and when they said they could do all this for us, we were thinking, ‘Really?’ And they said, ‘No, we’ll shut our factory down for seven days, and we’ll make all your furniture.’ And they did,” Anger said.

The sheriff’s department is also investing in new drug-testing equipment, which not only makes the department more efficient, but will help keep criminals off the streets, Anger said.

Previously, Greene County’s various police departments would have to send drugs to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation for testing — a process that could take up to six months.

Credit: Bryant Billing

Credit: Bryant Billing

“When that happens, you get somebody, you write them up, you release them, and if they’re not doing well, they’re back out committing crimes, or (they) potentially overdose and kill themselves,” Anger said. “It’s really frustrating.”

Bringing drug testing in-house should cut that process down to about 10 days, Anger said.

“We’ll be able to invite in other investigators who are all going to get trained here...everybody’s happy about that, I think,” he said. “That’s another vision that’s coming alive because of this building.”

The total cost of the new jail is estimated at $61 million. The second phase of construction, which includes the primary jail portion, is on track to be completed this November, and inmates will likely be moved from the old jail on Market Street in December. Lastly, the county’s Adult Detention Center will be renovated, a process that is expected to be complete by February, Anger said.

“We‘ll have a better ability to take care of medical issues inside (the jail.) We’ll be able to expand our programming services for mental health inside, we’ll be able to have more, hopefully, classroom and certificate programs for people while they’re serving their time. So we’re excited about all those possibilities that we never had before,” Anger said.

The county also received a state grant to demolish the old jail and Sheriff’s Office, which must be completed by next June.

“We had seven iterations of what we needed and what the county could afford,” Anger said. “I’m very happy and proud of how well the team worked together to get here.”

Credit: Bryant Billing

Credit: Bryant Billing