Part V - Government, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.





NEWEST MECOSTA COUNTY JAIL JUST KEEPS ON GROWING
By Michael Taylor - Senior Staff Writer

"You gotta put "em somewhere." That's been the rallying cry of local law enforcement since before the first jail was erected in Mecosta County in 1866.

Prior to the construction of that first facility, county lawmen often had to come up with some amazingly, well, innovative ideas for housing prisoners. One account tells of a jail - of sorts - located above the Protection Hose Company (the fire station) on Elm St.

Another story relates the tale of an early sheriff forced to handcuff his occasional prisoner to a bed in his home, for want of a better solution.

So the construction of that first jail, at a total cost of about $2,000, was no doubt considered a boon to the man serving as sheriff at that time.

In 1893, a second jail was constructed, this one for a cost of about $25,000. This structure still stands and is known today as "The Old Jail." It served the county until 1964, when a third jailhouse was constructed across the street from the first two.

Costing about $270,000. this new jail also included the sheriff's residence. This remained the home of the sheriff until 1985, when the residential portion was converted to office space.

Then in 1986, the jail was renovated; 18 new cells were added, as was a connecting wing to the court building. The renovation cost was $1,750,000.

Finally in September of 2000, work began on the county's current jail. It was completed in 2002, built with $2.5 million in bond money and at no cost to area taxpayers.

Federal money from the U.S. Marshall's office (for rent on ten beds for 10 years) also provided some of the funding.

In its current incarnation, the jail provides a total of 98 beds.

The sheriffs department itself has expanded with the rest of the county from its original of four to over 40 employees. In 1965 a sheriff's posse was formed and marine patrols were introduced.

From its humble beginnings, the department has grown to include a marine division, detective division, road patrol and civil process department.

Current sheriff John Sonntag is the most recent in a long line of individuals to hold the post of Mecosta County's top lawman.

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