PITTSBURG COUNTY SHERIFF TO HALT OVERCROWDING

McALESTER -- Pittsburg County Sheriff Bennie Durant is putting local, state
and federal authorities on notice that he will no longer house more than 65
inmates in the jail. Durant said his ``no-overcrowding policy'' would take
effect in 60 days, or around May 8.

At present, the jail population is averaging 73 inmates daily, and those
crowded conditions, the sheriff said, have led to a number of citations
from the state jail inspector's office. Chief among the citations was a
lack of manpower to handle that many inmates.

``These deficiencies have created an environment which is detrimental to
the safety of the employees as well as the inmates,'' Durant said. ``For
this office to knowingly condone and continue operating this jail under
these unsafe conditions would illustrate a lack of responsibility and could
be construed as a dereliction of duty on me and my staff.''

Durant noted that overcrowded conditions could lead to federal civil rights
lawsuits filed by the inmates, and taxpayers then would be liable for any
settlements. The sheriff said he sent notice of his new policy to the
presiding judge in Pittsburg County, the district attorney, the U.S.
Attorney's Office and to the mayors and police chiefs throughout the
county.

Voters defeated a half-cent sales tax last month that would have gone to
funding the Sheriff's Office and eventually building a new jail.

``We have exhausted all efforts in an attempt to resolve these problems,''
Durant said. ``I have nothing else to do with the physical structure of
this facility.''