Monroe County jail may lose insurance

BLOOMINGTON -- Monroe County's liability insurer has threatened to withdraw coverage for the county jail unless the county reduces crowding in the lockup and increases staffing by the year's end.\nSt. Paul Property and Liability Insurance has told county commissioners it will not renew the jail's liability insurance for 2005 if the county fails to come up with detailed plans for changes at the jail.\nThe jail's inmate population has surged from an average of about 175 a day to more than 250 in recent years. The jail is licensed to hold about 190 inmates.\nBudget overruns for meals and medical care have reduced the amount of money available for staff increases.\nWhile officials have discussed building a new jail or expanding the existing one, many favor creating a community corrections center that would house nonviolent offenders while leaving the jail to handle dangerous offenders.\nBut money for such a project is scarce. Officials say the county's insurer would not approve any plan that would reduce staff in the jail so enough staff can be found for a community corrections center.\n"We've got two choices: decrease (jail) population or increase staff," said Sue West, president of the county's budget-setting body, the Monroe County Council.