RITZVILLE — Remodeling of the Adams County Jail is projected to begin in May 2026, with the project completed by the end of next year. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said the project will put the county closer to reopening the jail.

“We’re going to get a safer, more functional facility, updated to a standard we can manage safer and easier,” Wagner said. “It’ll allow for a lot of different things – easier access for the jail staff and inmate safety, (and) ability to allow more space to our dispatch area, which has been a major fire concern for several years. We’re making it a safer and better functioning environment.”

Demolition is projected to begin in April. The jail was closed in 2022 following an inmate’s attack on another inmate and a corrections officer that left both severely injured. It’s been closed since. Wagner cautioned that even with the remodeling, additional staffing will be necessary.

“I do want people to understand that I cannot open a jail, even if it’s fully furnished and ready and remodeled, without the correct number of people. Staffing is still an issue,” he said. “I currently have nine positions, and that includes the jail commander. Out of the nine (positions), I have six that are filled. We couldn’t open at six (deputies and) we shouldn’t open at nine.”

The jail will be remodeled to eliminate the current dormitory-like areas, which house male inmates and hold eight to 10 people, Wagner said. The existing layout has two dormitory-style spaces, called pods.

“Those are now going to be one big, huge room with about eight cells. Each individual cell will house two inmates. (There will be room for) 16 inmates in cells that hold two each,” Wagner said. “With that, you can let people out (of the cells) two at a time rather than 10 at a time.”

Wagner said the changes will improve jail operations for everyone involved.

“In my opinion, I think it’s going to cut down on the dangers to staff and other inmates, because you’re able to release two at a time out to do their (recreation time) or whatever is needed,” he said.

Adams County Commissioners obtained a $2.6 million federal appropriation to pay for remodeling. Commissioner Dan Blankenship said the county was required to provide a 25% match, which they paid with a state grant. Commissioners have requested another $2 million through the federal appropriations process.

“We’ve gotten to the last step. It’s in the appropriations budget,” Blankenship said.

Whether or not Adams County gets the remaining money will depend on the fate of the appropriations budget, he said.

The Adams County Jail is a 28-bed facility, he said. The women’s section of the jail will also be remodeled.

“The rooms down the hallway, they’re going to be remodeled and upgraded, but they’re probably going to function similarly (to the way they do now), because most of the time we have a lot fewer female inmates than we do men,” Wagner said. “It’ll be managed differently, and the changes won’t be as vast. We may have (fewer inmates) in those rooms. Instead of eight, we may have four.”

The area where people are held on felony charges is also a separate space, and it will stay separate.

“We usually only have two or three people in that area,” Wagner said.

He’s asked for additional positions for the jail, he said, and ultimately would like to have about 18 people on the corrections staff. Some limited jail operation could be possible with fewer people, he said.

“I have to get at least what I currently have filled and then move into – maybe 12, and we can do soft openings, and we can start,” Wagner said. “You can maybe do some things with the change in the jail that we couldn’t do before, but you still have to keep it manageable.”

Wagner said at least two corrections staff should be available to respond to any incidents or emergencies.

“Sometimes you need backup in those situations, whether it be six people in the cell or two people in the cell, or even one person in the cell, one person is still dangerous,” he said.

    Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner swears in corrections deputy Seth Zepeda in late November. Wagner said getting adequate staffing will be a crucial part of reopening the Adams County Jail.