By Rich Larson, News Director
The Rice County Board of Commissioners will be busy today with a series of meetings. The regular work session was
held at 8:30 am, and at 9:30 there was a special public hearing to discuss the options for the future of the Rice County Jail. At 5:00, the board will conduct a special joint meeting with the Steele County Board of Commissioners to discuss the possibility of forming a joint powers agreement that would establish a regional jail in Steele County where Rice County prisoners would be housed. Finally, another public hearing to discuss the future of the Rice County Jail will be held at 6:30.
All of this activity is the result of a prolonged debate over what to do about the current jail situation. In 2019, the State Department of Corrections told Rice County that the current jail, built in 1975 is inadequate, and that a new jail would have to be built or completely remodeled, or the facility would be downgraded to a 90-Day lockup. A jail study task force came back and recommended that the county build a new jail and law enforcement center at a cost of $50-$60 million dollars. Members of the Rice County board then began to push for a partnership with Steele County.
Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliott said he does not endorse the idea of housing Rice County prisoners in Steele County for several reasons. Logistically the added travel time it would take to transport an inmate from Northfield to Owatonna, or even from Owatonna to Faribault for trial, would take officers off of the street for far longer than it would to transport them from Northfield to Faribault. Elliott said the same problem would exist with investigators, and he believes the added travel time would have an adverse effect on the Northfield Police Department and the Community.
Moreover, he said, moving Rice County inmates farther away from where their family and friends would be detrimental to their rehabilitation process.
“When we look at this through an equity lens, we see that moving people further away from their support network while they’re in prison really does not help them get to the point where society wants them to be. It doesn’t help them rehabilitate the behavior that they exhibited That landed them in jail and have them come out ready to make some changes. They need that support group – their loved ones and their friends, and definitely their family to help them.”
Chief Elliott said there is a need for a new jail and the county should take the recommendation of the jail study task force.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Chief mark Elliott can be heard here
Draheim says Daunte Wright shooting was a tragic accident
State Senator Rich Draheim expressed concern for the metro area as the George Floyd trial comes to an end but said he does not see his Senate colleagues introducing any special legislation in response to the shooting of Daunte Wright.
Draheim said that after the George Floyd incident last year, the legislature passed a law enforcement reform package that banned things like choke holds and the controversial Warrior Training that some police had received. He said that was a bi-partisan effort, and he feels that not enough time has passed, particularly in the face of a pandemic, for the reforms to have taken hold. And for that reason, he said, there will most likely not be any new law enforcement legislation coming out of the senate.
“I don’t see us in the Senate carrying any other law enforcement reform bills at this time. This last incident – I don’t think any training in the world would have helped that accident from happening.”
Draheim said that while the shooting of Daunte Wright is tragic, he does believe that it was a terrible mistake.
The Senator went on to say that he is concerned about the situation in the metro area. Closing arguments in the George Floyd trial were heard today, and the jury is now deliberating the case. Draheim spoke about the increased security at the State Capital and pointed out that the State of Minnesota has more National Guard troops either activated or on call than the United States currently has stationed in Afghanistan.
Despite the added security, he said he believes the legislature will suspend activity for a time after the verdict in the Floyd trial is handed down. He said regardless of the decision, he believes there will be unrest in the Twin Cities.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with State Senator Rich Draheim can be heard here
Northfield Shares promotes National Volunteer Week
And this week, April 18-24 is National Volunteer Week, as officially proclaimed by President Joe Biden on Friday.
While all Americans are being encouraged to find a cause or a project to which they can donate their time, Northfield Shares is offering help to anyone in the Northfield area looking for somewhere to volunteer.
Northfield shares is an area foundation dedicated to, among other things, inspiring volunteerism. Staffers Carrie Carroll and Rachel Miesler said volunteering is an easy thing to do.
Carroll said that volunteering is about sharing one’s time, talent and treasures. “You just have to ask yourself, ‘What am I Good at? What is my passion,’ and apply that to where you should volunteer.”
Miesler said volunteering is a great way to help someone get more involved in the community.
“If you’re volunteering and you have a friend who isn’t yet involved in the community or is new to the community just offering the invitation of ‘Come help me. Come volunteer with me.’ Whether it’s in-person, Covid safe, whether it’s virtual, there are lots of opportunities.”
Northfield shares has a full section of its website, northfieldshares.org, devoted to volunteering, including the Volunteer Hub where different organizations post their need for volunteers.
“Anyone can do it,” said Mielser, “you just have to ask, ‘How can I help?’”
