According to the McKenzie County Farmer, new facility will house 129 inmates and office space for local law enforcement agencies, including the McKenzie County Sheriff's office, the Watford City Police Department, North Dakota Highway Patrol, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Currently, Watford City only has the capacity to house 12 inmates, and has been shipping inmates to other facilities if the beds have been filled. The current facility is located adjacent to the courthouse, and the overflow of inmates have been transferred to facilities as far away as Fargo. If needed, the property has the ability to expand the number of beds up to 200.
As the number of beds increases with the completion of the law enforcement center, so too will the number of officers. According to Grand Forks Herald, McKenzie County plans to expand its police force to include 25 deputies and 19 police officers. To put the numbers into perspective, McKenzie County Highway Patrol, which had only one deputy a decade ago, now has six deputies.
The project, which will cost $57 mil, will be funded by a loan from the Bank of North Dakota, and will be repaid with the McKenzie County's oil revenue. The site of the new law enforcement center is at the corner of 12 Street and 11th Avenue, Southeast, near the Watford City Municipal Airport.
As our population at The Glen at Hunter's Run continues to grow, too, the new law enforcement center is a welcome addition to Watford City. Share your thoughts about the new facility on The Glen at Hunter's Run Facebook and Twitter pages.
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