Mini-Riot Occurs at LaPorte County Jail

LaPorte County Sheriff's Department
La Porte County Sheriff's Office

A mini-riot broke out in the LaPorte County Jail Friday evening – this after the Sheriff’s announcement last week that the closure of a jail wing put the jail in an overcrowding situation.

The inmates refused to lock-down into their cells and deputies had to use tasers and pepper spray to bring order to the population. The inmates complied with orders prior to the arrival of road officers and a K9 unit to the cell block.

LaPorte County Sheriff Michael Mollenhauer responded immediately to the call and arrived shortly after the deputies regained order in the cell. Mollenhauer stated that it was fortunate that no deputies were injured in the attack. He’s afraid more instances like this one will occur because of the conditions in the jail.

The County Council voted last week to not fund overtime and an entire floor of the jail had to be shut down. Those prisoners were placed among the rest of the population, causing an overcrowding situation.

Mollenhauer stated that certain members of the County Council have no regard for the safety of the officers, the public or the inmates. Over $190,000 has been brought to the county’s General Fund from the jail and Mollenhauer believes that that money should be available to fund the overtime at the jail so the adequate number of staff members can be employed and jail operations can run at the right level.