Oxford News

HAMILTON — Some Butler County police agencies will be impacted more that others by the new phone-ahead policy set by Sheriff Richard K. Jones.

MiddleTown operates its own jail where the majority of people arrested in that city are housed until their cases are sent to a grand jury for consideration, then they are taken to the county jail. Middletown Maj. David VanArsdale said the police department does have about 10 bed reserved at the county jail for prisoners sentenced to longer jail terms by Middletown Municipal Court.

Contrary to the past practice of routinely delivering inmates to the county jail, Hamilton police will have to call ahead of time before taking a prisoner to the facility, said Police Chief Neil R. Ferdelman.

Ferdelman said he doesn't think it will be a problem, but such restrictions can lead to a "revolving door," where suspects get arrested multiple times for the same offenses.

Hamilton police arrests an average of 20 people a day, Ferdelman said. Some of those arrested go straight to court, others are held for six hours at the Hamilton Police Department and others are housed at the Butler County Jail.

Judge Dan Gattermeyer of the Hamilton Municipal Court has sent a letter to Sheriff Richard Jones stating that he will not be calling ahead of time when he sentences someone to serve jail time. Gattermeyer said he has worked with the sheriff's office staff to reduce inmate population, in part by reviewing and granting early release requests.

"We're the busiest single-judge court in the state. I make sentencing decisions according to the Ohio Revised Code. The main purpose is to protect the public from crime happening again and to punish the offender," Gattermeyer said.

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