Skagit County's new jail opens, provides about 300 more beds

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — The Skagit County Community Justice Center has started housing inmates, officially replacing the old county jail.

The Skagit Valley Herald reports that inmates were transferred on Saturday to the $48-million facility.

It has 400 beds inside, a huge step up from the old jail that was built to house 83 inmates.

Chief of Corrections Charlie Wend said the inmate population will be capped at about 275 for the rest of the year in order to help staff acclimate.

Jail medical services are also changing due to the larger facility. On Thursday, the jail finance committee agreed to pursue a contract with jail medical company NaphCare to provide medical services, replacing the current county-run system.

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Information from: Skagit Valley Herald, http://www.skagitvalleyherald.com

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Associated Press