BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Whatcom County leaders are exploring alternate options for housing criminals.
The Whatcom County Council voted 6-1 to approve a $1.2 million agreement with Snohomish County during their August 9th meeting.
The deal would allow corrections officials to send up to 45 inmates to the Snohomish County Jail to free up bed space in the Whatcom County Jail.
Earlier this year, jail officials announced that they wouldn’t be housing inmates who commit misdemeanors due to capacity issues.
Part of those issues stem from COVID restrictions that have been in place for the past two years.
And according to Corrections Chief Wendy Jones, both the jail and the Downtown Work Center are housing inmates who have tested positive for COVID.