The first meeting of the transition team for the new jail met Monday, part of a three-day orientation to discuss what they should expect and how they should prepare for the transition to the new jail, scheduled to open in early July 2004.

Three dupties and several county officals consulted with employees of the National Institute of Corrections (NIC).

Warren Cook of the NIC explained the importance of a smooth transition and the importance of putting enough time into forming procedures and training officers with the new setting and new equipment. But there was some discussion over the time the three-person transition team would need to spend on the project, due the cost and the lingering opposition to the courthouse operation. With three deputies working on the transition 40 hours a week for a year, the transition work would cost about $150,000.

County Adminstrator Ron Gabrielsen said opposition toward the jail could make the money a hard sell to the public. He compared the transition to moving into a new house, and how it would likely take only a month to get settled. Although he asked why the transition would take as much as a year, he admitted to playing devil’s adovcate.

Cook explained that the increase in employees and completely new procedures would require a year to ensure a smooth system.

Cook said that he has known of jails where the jailers weren’t trained for the new facility and it resulted in riots and fires. He also noted that improper training could lead to lawsuits &045; for example, if a prisoner is injured or killed because of a bad procedure.

&uot;It seems very costly,&uot; Claire Gunster-Kirby of the National Institute of Corrections said. &uot;But if you don’t train people, you’ll have problems.&uot;

&uot;You want personnel to know that this switch opens one cell and this one opens all the cells.&uot;