New Fence, Commissary to be Added to Lafayette County Detention Center

The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors approved taking the first steps on two renovation projects at the Lafayette County Detention Center during its regular meeting Monday.

Phase 1 of the project includes a new commissary addition to the back of the detention center and security fencing around the center. The proposed budget for the two projects is $300,000.

The Board first approved a contract with Howorth and Associates to design the renovations and then approved putting the projects out to bid.

On Tuesday, Sheriff Joey East said the fence will provide a safer area for vehicles and equipment and the new commissary building will provide more space inside the detention center.

“One of our biggest issues is space,” he told HottyToddy.com. “We’re wanting to build a new commissary building which will free up some space to hold programs like GED classes and alcohol and drug treatment programs.”

Future growth plans include a possible new sheriff’s department.

Currently, the Sheriff’s Department is housed in the same building as the Detention Center.

Originally, the plan was to move the sheriff’s department out of the detention center and into the form DHS building located to the east of the detention center. However, East said talks have now moved toward building a new sheriff’s department building in the empty lot to the west of the detention center.

Due to the former DHS building being 95 years old, fairly small and located on a city-owned lot, talks began recently between East and the Supervisors to look at building a new, three-floor building.

Any plans to renovate the former DHS building would also have to be approved by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

“Financially, it just made sense to begin those talks about building a new one,” East said.

Howorth and Associates are also working up the designs for the proposed new sheriff’s department.