Sikeston City Council discusses Scott County Jail policy change

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Scott County Jail policy change was presented to the Sikeston City Council during their briefing session Monday.

"It doesn't really affect our operations, but I wanted council to be aware since they are changing," Sikeston Department of Public Safety director Drew Juden said.

A letter from Maj. Kenneth W. Kinder, chief deputy of the Scott County Sheriff's Office, received by Juden late Friday afternoon advises of a change of policy "concerning the processing of bonds and prisoner transports."

Citing "ongoing staffing issues, a desire to provide the quickest possible response to citizen requests for service and a desire to improve internal administrative process," the letter advises the sheriff's office "will no longer pick up inmates at the Sikeston Department of Public Safety."

Additionally, the Scott County Sheriff's Office "will no longer respond to the Sikeston Department of Public Safety to take a bond. The inmate must be present at the Scott County Jail for bond to be processed by the Scott County Sheriff's Office."

The letter advises as alternatives that the Sikeston Department of Public Safety may process the bond "as allowed by State Law if they so choose" or, if the inmate is at the Mississippi County Detention Center, "that agency may process the bond. It is the policy of the Scott County Sheriff's Office to not process a bond for an inmate in the custody of another Sheriff's Office."

The letter also informs: "The Scott County Sheriff's Office will not accept a faxed bond form, nor accept payment from a family member or other person on behalf of an inmate unless the inmate is in the custody of the Scott County Sheriff's Office."

Juden explained that among his reasons for taking suspects arrested in Scott County to the Mississippi County Detention Center is the requirement that officers must sign a form before they will be accepted into the Scott County Jail while there is no form required for the Mississippi County Detention Center or many other facilities in the region.