The Brief
- Sheriff Patrick Labat says the Rice Street Jail’s conditions are “beyond an emergency” and need major staffing and resources.
- Nearly 300 employees have left the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office this year, worsening safety and retention problems.
- Labat warns of a wider criminal justice failure, saying judges, prosecutors, and defenders all lack adequate resources.
ATLANTA – Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat says conditions inside the Rice Street Jail are “beyond an emergency” and that county leaders have ignored his repeated warnings about the need for more staff and resources.
What they’re saying:
“For years, I’ve said Fulton County is in an emergency situation,” Labat said. “You can continue to be deliberately indifferent about what we need and try and block what we need, but ultimately lives are in our hands.”…