Meridian Police speak out regarding inmate housing contract

Tuesday, Sheriff Anthony Chancelor said that they would no longer be housing Meridian inmates in the Clarke County Jail, calling it a business decision.

After speaking with Kemper County Sheriff James Moore, it was discovered that they began housing Meridian inmates in the Kemper Neshoba Regional Correctional Facility on June 25th and have been in talks with the city regarding a contract.

Now Meridian Police Chief Malachi Sanders is speaking out to address what their next steps are moving forward.

“I was given the deadline of June 30th to get another facility to house the inmates. And so, I’ve talked to Sheriff Moore, and he agreed with me, and since we had that deadline, I spoke with Sheriff Chancelor and I believe the Board of Supervisors for Clark County approved for us to go ahead and extend that deadline to July 7th. So, what I did was I went ahead; I think it was June 25th or maybe a few days after that, I talked with Sheriff Moore, and he said we can go ahead and bring them up there through our verbal agreement as well as our MOU and with the anticipation of the interlocal agreement being signed by both parties of government,” says MPD Chief Sanders.

Chief Sanders says he would like to thank other law enforcement agencies that he reached out to for their efforts in assisting with the inmates, as he is appreciative of the partnership they share.

The Clarke County Jail will no longer be housing City of Meridian inmates, and that’s according to Clarke County Sheriff Anthony Chancelor.

He says that the last day they will house inmates for the Meridian Police Department is July 7th, as this decision was made after looking into what would be most beneficial to Clarke County, calling it a business decision.

The city was under a contract with Clarke County, but now the inmates will be housed at the Kemper-Neshoba Regional Correctional Facility.

News 11 spoke with Kemper County Sheriff James Moore on this decision and how they will benefit and adjust to the new changes.

“We’re always here to help. I think law enforcement, cities and counties all should work together for the good of the cause, and we were contacted by Chief Sanders, and we had conversations about potentially housing City of Meridian inmates again. And those talks are being held, and we’re currently housing them right now; we started June 25th. Conversations are going on about what a contract is and what that will look like,” says Sheriff Moore.

Chancelor stated in a quote, “The city of Meridian has been good to work with. It is no longer financially beneficial for Clarke County.”