Harrison County opens new $23 million jail

The long-awaited $23 million Harrison County Jail is officially open. Sheriff Mark Touville announced the milestone at the end of the Harrison County Commissioners’ meeting Nov. 12, reporting that the new facility had already received 12 inmates, with more expected in the coming days.

Touville reflected on the challenges leading up to the opening, describing the process as “coming into the third quarter with my team down two touchdowns.”

“And I had to put my team on the field to finish the ballgame, and I feel like we’re winning,” he said. “We’re now 10 points ahead.”

Touville said inmates were being transferred back from Monroe County and others were being added through new arrests and warrants. He praised his staff for their dedication, saying they accomplished “the impossible” in expanding capacity from eight beds to 80 in a short time.

“Everybody’s hard work and dedication is appreciated,” Touville said, noting that while the facility is operational, “it’s still a work in progress — brand new to everybody.”

Jail Administrator Mark Smith echoed those sentiments, describing how the department had to build a full team from the ground up. When he began, there were just six corrections officers and no maintenance staff. Since then, the department has hired 12 additional officers, a nurse practitioner and a maintenance worker. Smith also credited Tommy Smith for his hands-on assistance in getting the facility ready.

Smith described working with Touville as “amazing,” commending the sheriff’s leadership and budgeting skills. “The staff are great people who are doing a wonderful job,” Smith said. “We have exactly what we need open, and we’re not splurging on expenses.”

The jail is also preparing to accept inmates from other counties and may eventually apply to house federal inmates, which will require following additional federal standards and procedures.

Both Touville and Smith emphasized that opening the facility is just the beginning. Their focus now shifts to improving inmate services and operations.

“To provide services for our inmates where they are better going out than when they came in,” Touville said. “We’re going to continue to stay ahead, we’re going to continue to build on it and make this something our county can be proud of.”