SOUTH BEND — There have been rumblings around the county in recent weeks that a change is coming for the Pacific County Jail. Pacific County Sheriff Daniel Garcia announced via Facebook on Dec. 19 he learned this is true — to control litigation risk the county plans to create a separate department to manage the jail.

Two inmates have died inside the jail since December 2022, including the death of Crystal R. Greenler on Dec. 13, 2022, and Curtis S. Kirschbaum on Oct. 7 of this year. Greenler’s family recently settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the county for $2.9 million.

The Pacific County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) opted not to bring in an outside agency to investigate Kirschbaum’s death and instead conducted the investigation internally.

The decision has been a topic of tension between the county, including for the county’s insurer — the Washington Counties Risk Pool — and the sheriff’s office.

‘Blindsided’

The Pacific County Commission and the sheriff’s office met on Dec. 18 for a workshop on health care inside the jail. Toward the end of the meeting, Garcia learned the change is forthcoming.

Pacific County Chief Administrative Officer Paul Plakinger told Garcia that there was one more matter to discuss. He told Garcia that the county was planning to remove jail management from the sheriff’s office.

“[He] informed me that he intends to submit a county resolution for voting on [Dec. 26] to remove the jail from the sheriff’s office and form a Department of Corrections,” Garcia stated via a letter on Facebook. “This action would take effect Jan. 1.

“This does not serve you, the People of Pacific County, and is contrary to the wishes that you have expressed to me.”

Garcia’s public outreach on Dec. 19 sparked considerable opposition to the county plan for the jail by online allies. It is unclear what, if any, impact this will have on the future of jail administration.

Ripple effect: sheriff

In the letter, Garcia said current corrections officers oppose the idea and have expressed displeasure with it. The separation would cause a logistics ripple and remove the accountability entrusted to him by the voters, he argued.

“Additionally, this separation reduces the sheriff’s office by one commissioned law enforcement [officer] and one support staff position despite public outcry for more law enforcement in the county,” Garcia said.

The clerk position is already being paid solely through jail funding. The officer Garcia refers to is an administrator, Cmdr. (Inspector) Michael Parker. Parker was brought into office when Garcia took over the agency on Jan. 1, 2023.

Parker’s role has been to oversee the jail and Pacific County Joint Drug Task Force. Parker was previously an officer with the Long Beach Police Department attached to the drug task force and had no corrections experience.

According to witnesses at the workshop, Plakinger informed Parker that his services would no longer be needed as of Jan. 1, 2025, if commissioners vote to separate the jail.

Undersheriff Mike Ray looked at Parker and said, “I guess it’s time I retire so you can be undersheriff.” Parker responded with a profanity-laden comment that finished with, “I don’t want to work for this f**king county.”

Garcia’s impression of the meeting was that it was a slap in the face. He disagrees with the reasoning behind separating the jail and finds it counterproductive.

“The rationale presented to me was to mitigate risks to the County Government,” Garcia said in his letter. “I do not dispute that correctional facilities carry some of the highest risks to all counties, but there is no one more qualified than the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the county to mitigate these risks.”

“There are far more fiscally responsible and operationally efficient options available. For example, I would welcome the County Commissioners’ funding and hiring a Risk Manager assigned directly to the sheriff’s office due to the nuances and specificity of risk unique to a sheriff’s office compared to County Departments,” Garcia added.

The county and the Washington Counties Risk Pool offered on Aug. 8, 2023, in a letter issued by the commissioners, to pay for a dedicated sheriff’s office attorney the agency could consult with in real time. Garcia turned down the offer.

Town halls

According to county officials, the jail separation resolution is expected to be presented at the last regular commission meeting of the year on Dec. 26. Plakinger hopes that the public will attend the meeting to fully understand the decision.

“As I communicated to Sheriff Garcia and his command staff during our open public workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 18,” Plakinger said, “the primary reason for the county to take this action, to create a Department of Corrections, and transfer the operational authority of the jail from the sheriff to the Board of County Commissioners, is to attempt to mitigate risk for what is arguably the single biggest piece of risk in all of Pacific County government.”

“I will plan to have a more complete statement that I will read into the record on this matter during the open public meeting on Dec. 26, and I encourage the public to attend and listen in,” Plakinger added.

Garcia is hoping to garner enough opposition from the public to sway the commission’s final decision.

“This situation is very nuanced, and a short letter is not enough to explain in detail,” Garcia said in the letter. “In an effort to keep you informed, I urge all of the People of Pacific County to attend the following town hall meetings I have set up to inform you in more detail and hear your input.”

Meetings are scheduled for Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Tokeland Community Center and Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. at the South County Administration Building.

“Your voice is crucial to the service that you receive,” Garcia said.

Agencies support change

Other county law enforcement agencies that have spoken with the Observer support the move to a Department of Corrections.

One of the biggest complaints from agencies has been that the jail has regularly denied intakes, with the population dipping below 20. The jail can hold around 39 inmates comfortably, and almost double if necessary.

Jail placements are also a revenue stream for the county since booking agencies are charged daily to hold an inmate. Agencies pay $50 to book an inmate and $85 per day the inmate is held in jail.