Inside the Flathead County Jail, aging pipes leak sewage, officers walk 12-hour shifts through overcrowded cells, and inmates struggling with mental health have nowhere to turn. 

As Flathead County voters weigh a $105 million bond to build a new detention facility, the Daily Inter Lake goes behind bars for an unfiltered look at the conditions facing inmates and officers alike. 

Join reporters Taylor Inman and Hannah Shields as they spend a day inside the jail, talk with Sheriff Brian Heino and Flathead County Commissioner Pam Holmquist, and uncover what’s truly at stake for the community. 

READ MORE:

Behind locked doors: Dangerous working conditions, flooding sewage water, power failures

$105M bond for new detention center to appear on Flathead County ballot this November

Kalispell Planning Commission recommends annexation of potential jail site

Flathead County aims to tackle overcrowding with construction of new jail

Are you a Kalispell voter? Municipal ballots were mailed October 17th to registered voters. 

Eligible residents can confirm registration, find ballot return details, and learn about in-person voting options by visiting the Flathead County Election Department website

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