County jail closing in Hamtramck could lead to financial crisis

City officials are bracing for the eventual closing of the county’s William Dickerson Jail. The county pays the city $1 million a year to operate the jail here.

By Charles Sercombe
City officials are preparing for the worst when Wayne County closes its jail here in Hamtramck.
The county plans to move all of its jail prisoners into a new facility, located just a few minutes’ drive south of Hamtramck.
The eventual closing of the William Dickerson Jail in Hamtramck will result in the loss of about $1 million a year to the city coffers. The county pays that amount in lieu of paying property taxes.
That revenue loss poses a looming financial crisis for the city; so much so, that the Michigan Department of Treasury is spending $30,000 for a deep dive into the city’s financial picture.
That announcement sparked concern over past financial audits, as well as the accuracy of the one being funded.
Mayor Amer Ghalib noted that two previous financial predictions have been contradictory – one pessimistic, but the other optimistic.
City Manager Max Garbarino said this study will look at the city’s finances by “starting from scratch.”
“I’m hoping it’s a lot more detailed, more on-point,” Garbarino said.
As for the Dickerson jail, it is only 33 years old. Located at the outskirts of the city, at Conant and Hamtramck Dr., the jail was not welcomed by all at the time it opened in 1991.
There was concern among some city officials, notably former Mayor Robert Kozaren, that the jail would lead to an increase in crime from visitors.
But that fear never materialized. On the other side of the coin, the expected boost of customers patronizing local businesses, notably restaurants, also didn’t make the impact optimists predicted.
In recent years, the jail has been used to house juvenile offenders but has been racked with accusations of — and resultant lawsuits for — staff members abusing teens or being negligent in their well-being.
The jail’s closing is not unexpected. County and city officials have been talking about the possibility of shutting it down for several years.
The new jail has also faced a different set of problems over concerns about fights, staffing shortages and even flooding.
Recently, there has been talk of possibly leasing the Hamtramck jail to the federal government to house illegal immigrants on their way to being deported, or for housing federal prisoners.
City Manager Max Garbarino said there are no solid plans yet for the building, but talks are ongoing with county, and other, officials.
Posted Dec. 13, 2024