FAYETTEVILLE — The Washington County sheriff plans to continue charging the Fayetteville Police Department $60 per person booked into the county jail by department staff.
The county’s Jail, Law Enforcement and Courts Committee approved keeping the $60, one-time fee the same in 2014. The fee must be approved by the full Quorum Court later this month.
The contract between the city allows the county to increase the book-in fee by no more than 10 percent each year. The last fee increase started in 2012 to $60 from $55 the year before.
“I’m not making a recommendation for an increase,” Sheriff Tim Helder said. “I feel that’s sufficient for a book-in.”
The county has charged Fayetteville for booking in prisoners since the jail opened in 2005. The county started charging $40 per person arrested by officers, according to media reports from the time.
“We determined at that time, and still maintain, the most significant impact we feel at the detention center is at the booking process with Fayetteville prisoners,” Sheriff Tim Helder said. “For the most part, they are misdemeanants that are in and out long enough to post bond.”
Fayetteville closed its own jail when the Washington County Detention Center opened, Helder said. Fayetteville police were arresting more than 10,000 people per year before the county jail opened, Helder said.
Randall Denzer, the Sheriff’s Office detention major, said Fayetteville police now arrest and book about 4,800 people per year.
Paul Becker, Fayetteville finance director, said the city has spent about $170,500 this year. The city is on track to finish the year spending $260,000, he said.
The city spent $278,940, Becker said. That’s 4,649 arrests in 2012.
In 2011, the county charged $55 per arrest. The city paid $247,770, Becker said, or about 4,505 people.
County officials estimate it costs $65 per day to keep an inmate at the jail.
No other Washington County city is charged by the county to book in prisoners, said Denzer. That’s because county residents, including those living within city borders, pay a 1/4-percent sales tax to pay for jail operations.
The county charges the federal government $50 per inmate per day to house prisoners. The state pays $27 per day. Other counties or cities outside Washington County pay $35 per day.
Overall, the county has booked in 9,298 arrested people through September. That’s down from 9,582 during the first nine months of 2012.