MADERA - The Madera County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted today, March 9, 2021, to approve the reunification of the Madera Department of Corrections and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office.
The Reunification Plan was developed collaboratively by administrative representatives from both the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Corrections. The proposed plan will be implemented in phases and will conclude by consolidating the Madera County Department of Corrections with the sheriff’s office and officially transferring oversight and management of county jail operations to the elected Sheriff.
The Madera County Department of Corrections (MCDOC) was established in 1977 when it was created as a separate department from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The separation took place after a long squabble between then Madera County Sheriff Ed Bates and county supervisor Jack Schmidt.
The jail, at that time, sat behind the old Madera County Courthouse in the center of Madera on West Sixth and South G Streets. Bates had been complaining to supervisors about the conditions since he first was he was elected in 1970. Bates told the board, “I’ve got 10 staff members for 134 men in a jail that should be torn down.”
Schmidt and Bates would often have heated battles in the Madera County Board of Supervisors board room that was legendary. Despite lawsuits, which included BRANDT v. MADERA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, Schmidt was able to convince a majority of the board to remove the jail from Bates’ control.
The transfer came after the grand jury and state agencies complained about the conditions at the 83-year-old jail. At present, Madera County is one of only two county jail operations in the State that is not under the purview of a County Sheriff.
With the projected growth of the county and the impacts to the county jail from prison reform, the Sheriff, Corrections Director, and the County Administrative Officer support the reunification of jail operations under the supervision of the Sheriff.
Sheriff Tyson Pogue states, “The Reunification of the Sheriff’s Office and Department of Corrections is an incredible opportunity to improve services and efficacy by modernizing practices to better serve our community. By following the model of county law enforcement agencies throughout the state, we are positioning Madera County for future growth and success. We anticipate a seamless transition as we collaboratively implement reunification guidelines, with safety and efficiency as our focus.”
Chief Manuel Perez adds, “Madera County Department of Corrections is looking forward to the exciting opportunities gained through the reunification between the Madera Sheriff's Office and the Madera County Department of Corrections. We anticipate a smooth implementation of this expanded partnership as the jail transfers leadership to Sheriff Tyson Pogue. This collaborative transition will allow us to more effectively leverage our services and support to better serve the jail population and the people of Madera County.”
