Petersburg jail closing April 1
Jeremy M. Lazarus | 3/25/2015, 9:41 a.m.
The Petersburg City Jail will be closing April 1.
A final attempt by City Council foes to reverse the decision failed on a 4-3 vote Tuesday night.
Mayor W. Howard Myers, who has championed the closure, prevailed in voting down the latest attempt to stop the closure. He was joined by former Mayor Brian A. Moore, Vice Mayor Samuel Parham and new Councilman Darrin L. Hill. Councilman David Ray Coleman, joined by council members John A. Hart Sr. and Treska Wilson-Smith, sought to keep the jail open and avoid the layoff of dozens of deputies and civilian staff expected with the closure.
Sheriff Vanessa R. Crawford, who now has a staff of about 90, said she could lose 60 or more employees.
Mayor Myers said the jail closure “is in the best interests of our citizens.” Petersburg is under a court order to renovate the jail and would avoid spending $10 million to $12 million to do that work by using Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County.
Since March 1, all new arrestees in Petersburg have been taken to Riverside Regional Jail. Beginning April 1, current inmates will be transferred to the regional jail.
The old jail then would be used only as a temporary lockup for those going to and from court.
