Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office discusses the touchscreen controls that operate the jail cells in the department’s new, $11.8 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office discusses the department’s new state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the $11.8 million facility, which spans 16,760 square feet, can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office shows on of the multi-person jail cells in the department’s new, $11.8 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the 16,760 square foot facility can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office discusses the touchscreen controls that operate the jail cells in the department’s new, $11.8 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office shows on of the multi-person jail cells in the department’s new, $11.8 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the 16,760 square foot facility can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
A multi-person jail cell in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office new, $11.8 million state-of-the-art District 4 building is seen, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the 16,760 square foot facility can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office discusses the department’s new state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the $11.5 million facility, which spans 16,760 square feet, can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office discusses the touchscreen controls that operate the jail cells in the department’s new, $11.5 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
A multi-person jail cell in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office new, $11.5 million state-of-the-art District 4 building is seen, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the 16,760 square foot facility can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office shows on of the multi-person jail cells in the department’s new, $11.5 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia. In addition to serving as a location for deputies’ daily work, the 16,760 square foot facility can hold up to 23 people who have been detained.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
Lt. John Schmitt with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office discusses the touchscreen controls that operate the jail cells in the department’s new, $11.5 million state-of-the-art District 4 building, Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Magnolia.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
A new state-of-the-art facility for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Montgomery County Commissioners Court is seen along Unity Park Drive, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in Magnolia.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
A new state-of-the-art facility for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Montgomery County Commissioners Court is seen along Unity Park Drive, Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in Magnolia.
Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerMontgomery County officials this week showed off a new facility in Magnolia that will expedite arrests in the fast-growing western part of the county.
With the use of hedge sheers on yellow caution tape, Sheriff Rand Henderson and Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley on Monday morning did the ribbon-cutting honors at the ceremony ahead of the opening of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s West Office building.
Located at 19038 Unity Park Drive, the new 16,760-square-foot building will serve as a preliminary holding facility for alleged criminal offenders as they await being escorted to the Montgomery County Jail in Conroe.
The facility will serve different law enforcement agencies, be they the sheriff’s office’s District 4, the Precinct 5 Constable’s Office, the Stagecoach Police Department or the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“We’re serious about law enforcement. We’re serious about protecting our people,” County Judge Mark Keough said as he thanked county officials on hand.
Law enforcement agencies detain an average of 600 people yearly, according to the sheriff’s office.
The new 24-hour facility will hold up to 23 detainees and consists of five cells, including one for detoxification, the sheriff’s office detailed. Taking 14 months to complete, the building’s cost came in at $11.8 million, which was under budget, the agency added.
Upon final inspection from the State Jail Standards Commission, the facility is expected to begin detainee intake in mid-May, the sheriff’s office noted.
“This is something that we needed for a long time,” Precinct 5 Constable Chris Jones said at the event.
Henderson highlighted the advantages of having a satellite facility such as this.
The new facility is “going to be a huge savings on personnel, on manpower issues on the street, on our show of force and our ability to proactively patrol the areas. So, we’re gonna have a lot less down time when it comes to arresting,” Henderson said during the ceremony, adding detectives from his agency will also work on site.
He said booking someone on an offense can be a 4-to-6 hour process. Getting arrested includes the District Attorney’s Office accepting charges and a drive to the county jail, which occasionally takes an hour, Henderson explained.
The Magnolia facility is the third of its kind in the county. There is one in The Woodlands and another in New Caney.
Also present at the facility’s debut were County Treasurer Melanie Bush, First Assistant DA Mike Holley and Precinct 5 Commissioner Robert Walker.
“None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the will and support of commissioners court,” Henderson said, praising Riley and Walker.
Riley, whose constituency is in west county, has been a public servant in the area for 21 years. The commissioner said the new jailing facility is the latest achievement in the long-standing effort of placing personnel space on the same property for employees of the area’s constable, justice of the peace, tax assessor and his own office.
“It is a beautiful building. It’s going to be serving its purpose for a long time,” the Precinct 5 commissioner said before a tour of the facility.
jose.gonzalez@chron.com
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