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“The plan to absorb Passaic County’s jail population into Bergen and Essex County correctional facilities made strong economic sense and would have benefited taxpayers in all three counties,” Donovan told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this afternoon.
It was only last week that a meeting was convened in Hackensack of officials from the three counties.
And although the group planned to divide into task forces — legal, operational and financial — the decision in Passaic County ground that process to a halt before it had a chance to take wing.
Needless to say, Bergen authorities were shocked — but not completely surprised — by the Passaic freeholders sudden about-face.
Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino agreed with Donovan that the discussions ended up being only a starting point and hadn’t gone far enough to begin an intensive review.
“At the end of the day, if it’s something that could be looked at to increase efficiencies, I’m all for looking at it,” Saudino told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.
Donovan was clearly hoping for that opportunity.
“Counties have an obligation to set the standard for municipalities to follow,” she told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “It’s unfortunate that Passaic County’s freeholders have succumbed to special interest pressure and decided to pursue a more costly route.
“We remain committed to reducing costs whenever possible and would look forward to renewing talks with Passaic County should they choose to reconsider.”
They could be forced to: According to sources close to the situation who spoke to CLIFFVIEW PILOT on condition of anonymity, the Passaic freeholders may be left with no choice.
“The pressure of the ACLU will probably bring them back to the table on this,” one of the sources said.
There is no question that Passaic County needs a new jail, given the current facility’s crumbling infrastructure and federal mandates that must be met.
Former Sheriff Leo McGuire, who previously ran the Bergen County Jail, said he “applaud[s] county officials for taking a look.” But he said he doesn’t believe the merger would save money.
“Let’s say they’re paying $110 a head, with [the federal government] covering the medical costs” for immigration detainees the county jails house for the U.S., McGuire told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “When you look at the actual cost, in terms of salary and wages, food, transportation and medical costs, it’s not bringing you enough revenue.
“Who’s going to pay for the intangibles of a Passaic County inmate who assaults one of our officers? Who’s going to pay the cost of federal lawsuits for overcrowding? Who’s going to pay the lawsuits for slip and falls?”
The federal money that comes in from having additional prisoners “can evaporate in one lawsuit,” McGuire said.
Saudino has proven that more can be done with less: “The sheriff has realized savings by not having to pay as much in overtime because units that are not being used have been closed down while the jail count is low,” McGuire told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.
“You’re saving yourself one salary times five with every unit that’s closed,” McGuire said. On the other hand, he said, Saudino would “have to double the amount of officers to cover vacations and sick time” if the jail population increases significantly.
One of the facility’s largest expenses is in transporting prisoners to court, whether in Bergen County or elsewhere.
“In Bergen, that’s hundreds and hundreds of inmates per year,” McGuire told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. Add to it the cost of taking countless more to Essex and Passaic counties for court hearings and trials, he said, and the expense rises dramatically.
For that reason, McGuire said, he had a courtroom built at the Bergen jail, which he estimated saves hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
McGuire championed programs aimed at educating and training defendants so that they would be less likely to re-offend. By doing so, he said, “you’re reducing the crime rate, you’re reducing the jail population, and you’re reducing the number of victims. That’s one way you can save money.”
Saudino, for his part, said he would be glad to discuss specifics — if and when it gets to that stage.
“You can be sure I will always be there to look at opportunities for efficiencies,” he told CLIFFVIEW PILOT late this afternoon.
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