Jul 4, 2008

Supervisors and others oppose adult jail in Highlands

By Shaun Bishop / Daily News Staff Writer

Although they came to talk about something else, county officials Wednesday night assured San Mateo Highlands residents a new jail won't be built in their neighborhood.

"I can tell you I'm opposed" to the idea, Supervisor Mark Church told a room packed with residents. "And I doubt very seriously that the board would seriously entertain an adult jail in this community."

Church's words drew one of the few rounds of applause at the tense neighborhood meeting, which was intended to allow residents to air concerns about the February escape of a 17-year-old murder suspect from a nearby juvenile lock-up facility.

Several residents couldn't help but ask about the county's search for a site to accommodate a new jail, which the sheriff says is needed to reduce overcrowding in the county's two jails in Redwood City.

The Highlands was mentioned as a possible jail site in a consultant's report released in January. That prospect riled residents, who said they would fiercely oppose such a move.

One woman stood up Wednesday to interrupt discussion of the juvenile's escape and demanded an answer on the adult jail.
"I for one can't sit here at all calm and work together on this until I know there's not going to be an adult jail," she said.

Church, whose district includes the Highlands, said he personally ruled out building in the area, where the county already has the Youth Services Center and an elections office among other buildings, and owns large areas of land.

Officials said the jail should be placed near the courts in Redwood City to reduce transportation costs. But the county will face a battle there too, because residents and city officials say they will fight construction of a third major jail in their town, which already hosts the men and women's jails.

Sheriff's Capt. Mark Hanlon also chimed in, saying Sheriff Greg Munks would not support a jail in the Highlands.
"We're not pursuing it in this area at all," added Supervisor Adrienne Tissier. "This isn't the place for it."



E-mail Shaun Bishop at sbishop@dailynewsgroup.com.