Beatrice Police Chief Addresses Claim of Charging to Hold Prisoners

BEATRICE -  A Gage County Board member recently suggested that the county should start charging the City of Beatrice for housing suspects arrested by city police. Gage County is facing a bulging jail population in recent weeks, requiring several suspects to be housed in facilities outside the county. Beatrice Police Chief Bruce Lang says people arrested under state law violations go to the county jail…. by state law…regardless of which agency makes the arrest. [audio mp3="http://media3.floodradio.com/columbus/2017/09/Charge-For-Prisoner1.mp3"][/audio] :26                  “might arrest ‘em” Lang says the City of Beatrice can also cite or arrest someone under city ordinance structure, which mirrors state law.  Arrests under city ordinance can be prosecuted by the city attorney, mostly on minor offenses.   That can free up a county attorney to handle the arrests under state law. [audio mp3="http://media3.floodradio.com/columbus/2017/09/Charge-For-Prisoner2.mp3"][/audio] :14                  “physical arrests” Beatrice Mayor Stan Wirth sought the explanation of the legal standards from the police chief at a city council meeting Tuesday night, to determine whether the city had any obligation to pay for holding people arrested by city police.