Private Company Hired to Operate City’s Jail
The City Council late Tuesday approved an Azusa Police Department plan to reduce its budget by hiring a private firm to handle jail services.
At present, the city employs five civilian jailers to run the facility, which houses suspects before they are sent to the county jail.
“It is matter of trying to save some money,” said Azusa Councilman Dick Stanford.
Wackenhut Corp., a national security company, has offered to provide the service for $327,000 annually, compared to the $400,000 the city pays in salaries to its employees.
According to Stanford, two of the jailers are training to become police officers while the remainder will be employed by Wackenhut or transfer to another city.
City officials said Wackenhut will also assume liability for prisoners and be able to provide female jailers and those who speak different languages.
The Police Department last year agreed to cut its budget by $1.5 million annually.
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