Editor's note: This story was updated at 6:04 p.m. Aug. 5 to reflect the inmate capacity of the Cleveland County Detention Center.
Cleveland County Commissioners will discuss on Monday a proposed agreement with the Oklahoma City Municipal Facilities Authority that would allow Oklahoma City to house its inmates at the Cleveland County Detention Center.
If approved, the authority would pay $68 a day for each inmate housed in the detention center, as well as costs for transportation and hospital watch if emergency medical attention were necessary for a detainee, the proposal reads.
The contract would last for the 2025-26 fiscal year with the option to renew for two additional one-year terms.
Melissa Smuzynski, county director of communications, wrote in an email to OU Daily the contract was originally presented in March. County commissioners interpreted the contract to mean that detainees would be from Oklahoma City areas within Cleveland County boundaries.
After reviewing the contract with amendments requested by Oklahoma City at its June 28 meeting, the commissioners realized the language of the proposal allowed for detainees from any area within Oklahoma City’s jurisdiction, raising questions of how many detainees would be taken to the detention center, Smuzynski wrote.
The Oklahoma County jail has a capacity of 2,890 detainees, as first reported by the Oklahoman. In December, the total number of inmates was 1,454. The Cleveland County Detention Center has a capacity of about 580 inmates, Sheriff Chris Amason confirmed to OU Daily.
County officials voiced their concerns regarding transportation for inmates back to Oklahoma City following their release.
“The contract, as it is currently worded, could result in individuals who are experiencing homelessness, are repeat offenders or simply do not have the reliable transportation,” Smuzynski wrote. “Being released in Cleveland County after their time in custody with no contractually agreed upon way to transport them back to the part of Oklahoma City where they reside or were initially detained.”
Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman told OU Daily that he shared these concerns over a lack of transportation for detainees arrested in Oklahoma City.
“Are (inmates) going to be released into Norman to fend for themselves as far as getting back home goes?” Holman said. “At the very minimum, I think there should be a requirement that anyone transported to the Cleveland County jail from Oklahoma City should have to be taken back to Oklahoma City and then released from that point.”
Holman also noted Cleveland County residents fund the detention center by paying taxes.
“I would err on the side of our county jail being for Cleveland County,” Holman said. “The Cleveland County jail is paid for by Cleveland County residents and taxpayers and it’s supposed to be for housing inmates of Cleveland County and people that have had issues with the law in that regard.”
As the proposal is revisited, Holman said he hopes there is clear communication between Oklahoma City, Cleveland County and Norman officials.
“I would hope that any discussions that are being had about this idea are including the Norman Police Department administration, the city manager of Norman, the Oklahoma City Police Department’s Chief, …” Holman said. “I hope there’s a real clear line of communication and that everything’s being completely transparent with how they’re dealing with it.”
OU Daily reached out to Oklahoma City Police Department, which declined to give a statement until a final decision was reached.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza.
