EPHRATA — Construction of the new Grant County Jail is progressing rapidly, with Chief Deputy of Corrections Phillip Coats of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office expressing optimism about the facility’s completion.  

The new jail will comprehensively address the current needs of inmates, staff, and the community, with several innovative solutions integrated into its design, Coats said.  

The facility is designed to centralize operations, significantly improving efficiency compared to the existing jail.  

"The concept of the design was to bring everything to a centralized location instead of being scattered around," Coats said.  

This centralized approach includes evidence and uniform storage, the K-9 program, intake areas, and more, all aimed at improving operational effectiveness. As of now, construction is ahead of schedule, Coats said. Coats anticipates that the jail will be ready for occupancy soon, around the summer of 2026. At this point, he’s optimistic that construction delays will be minimal if any do arise. 

"I don't think you're ever going to get them to admit that they're ahead of schedule, but it feels like they're ahead of schedule because this thing is developing so quickly,” Coats said.  

Inmate safety 

One of the main improvements of the new jail is the enhanced capability to accommodate and support special populations, including those with mental health and substance use issues.  

"We had to think about behavioral health, suicide prevention, opioid addiction and mental health crises," Coats said. "We had to take care of managing that special population in jail." 

The facility will have cells for inmates struggling with drug withdrawals, mental health issues and other medical problems. Those cells will be located next to the nursing triage station. Coats said they are working on securing a contract with an around-the-clock care provider to ensure there is always medical care on site.  

“This is going to be a health area where you can withdraw or need some medication stability," Coats said. "We find that balance, but we're not really ready to introduce you to the general population."  

Coats said after inmates in the new facility begin to show signs of doing better, medically, they will be moved to a bunk bed in the common area at the triage station instead of a cell. Then, if the inmate continues doing well, they will be moved to the general population.  

Coats highlighted the integration of "anti-ligature" fixtures in certain areas to prevent self-harm among vulnerable inmates, emphasizing the need for protocols regarding suicide assessments, especially within the first 72 hours of incarceration.  

"It's a critical point when someone comes in," Coats said.  

Staff well-being 

The jail's design prioritizes innovations in safety and well-being for staff as well, Coats said.  

In terms of training and staff support, Coats said there is a forward-looking approach to staff retention and well-being.  

"If we don’t take care of our staff, they can’t take care of others," Coats said. 

The new facility will support various programs aimed at physical and mental health, including a gym, break room and outside space for staff.  

The facility will also have several training rooms, which Coats said will save the department money in the long run. 

“Some of the trainings, we will pay around $1,000 per attendee, but if we host them, we get to be trained for free,” Coats said. “Some of them, we may even be able to make money on being able to host them.”  

Functional design 

Regarding the logistics of managing the jail populations, Coats indicated that the architecture would allow for safer movement of inmates and more facility amenities to accommodate needs.  

This includes the addition of locked rooms where inmates can zoom into court. Instead of transferring the inmates one at a time to the court, they will be able to transfer more individuals into secured areas for their hearings, Coats said. There will also be several rooms for clients to meet with their attorneys without other inmates hearing conversations, enhancing attorney-client privacy. 

There will also be no opportunity for contraband to be exchanged between people released from the facility and those booked into jail. The current jail has subjects passing by one another as they go through intake and outtake. Those areas are separate in the new jail. 

Coats said he has some concerns about when staff and inmates began to transfer into the facility.  

Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete has previously told the Columbia Basin Herald that GCSO staff are working diligently with a variety of partners to ensure a smooth transition.  

Coats said he believes the new jail will provide a better space for staff and inmates alike, but he said that doesn’t stop his worrying. There are a lot of changes with the new facility, and he wants to ensure everything flows smoothly. 

“Every single aspect of what we have done is going to change: food, laundry, intake, outtake. Everything is going to change,” Coats said.  

    Grant County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy of Corrections Phillip Coats said that being a part of building the new Grant County Jail is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
  

    One of the cell blocks within the new Grant County Jail. These cells hold two inmates; however, other cells in the facility can hold one or four.
  

    The inside of one of the four-person jail cells. On both sides there are bunk beds and on the back wall there is a toilet and a shower.
  

    A worker paints the floors in the break room for staff at the new Grant County Jail.
  

    An employee navigates a forklift through the door of one of the cell blocks at the new Grant County Jail. The jail is expecting to begin transitions of inmates in the summer of 2026.
  

    The kitchen is a work in progress at the new Grant County Jail. Instead of residential ovens, the facility will have a walk-in oven which allows for more food to be cooked at once.