News

East St. Louis closes jail after sanitation complaint

Posted August 24, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) - Officials in East St. Louis say they've closed the city's jail and moved prisoners to a southern Illinois county jail because of possible unsanitary conditions.

City manager Courtney Logan told the Belleville News-Democrat (http://bit.ly/2bw6unw ) on Tuesday that the complaint is unfounded and under investigation but the employees and prisoners were moved in the interest of health and safety. An unidentified officer filed the complaint Monday.

Logan says the jail has flooded numerous times and there may be mold. The prisoners are now being housed at the St. Clair County jail and anyone arrested will be taken there instead of the city jail.

St. Clair County Sheriff Richard Watson says the prisoner transfer will continue until East St. Louis "can bring their jail up to standard so they can pass inspection."

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Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com

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