Burbank opens jail that holds 70 inmates

After nearly a year of sharing facilities with Glendale, the jail facility in Burbank today began accepting its own inmates after final touches to a large project to repair faulty construction were made.

Burbank police have been transporting arrested individuals to the jail in Glendale for booking since April, when the repair work began, adding at least 45 minutes to the process, Burbank Police Lt. John Dilibert said.

“Our quickest time is 45 minutes, with two officers, round trip, on a good day,” he said.

The convenience of Burbank having its own jail, which can hold up to 70 people, is huge, Dilibert added.

“Response times will decrease because we can turn over officers quicker, versus commuting to Glendale and back,” Dilibert said. “It’s such a huge benefit. We have control of what’s happening in the jail, and as a watch commander I know what’s going on down there.”

The shared arrangement was needed to fix the jail floor in Burbank that was damaged by water, which caused it to peel, posing a trip hazard. The jail was also in need of a fresh coat of paint and electrical improvements.

Water intrusion at the Burbank Police-Fire headquarters was discovered in 2000, two years after the building opened.

Spot repairs on the facility began in 2000, two years after its original completion date. Public Works Director Bonnie Teaford said those repairs continued to 2008, when the first phase of the renovation plan began.

The latest repair work is scheduled to be completed in mid-March for about $8 million, said Teaford.

ALSO:

Streets and sidewalks on city’s fix list

Forest Service to drop fees at most national forests

-- Maria Hsin, Times Community News

Twitter: @mariahsin