FARMINGTON—It was a big day at the Davis County Jail on Monday as the facility opened a new Medical Observation Unit that replaces the current medical wing. The project started in 2020 and cost of construction was set at $8.2 million but came in under budget by nearly $90,000 in spite of the pandemic and supply chain issues. Hogan construction built the facility and Archiplex Group did the design.

“We are here to serve the community and improve the quality of life in the county,” said Davis County Sheriff Kelly V. Sparks. “There are three reasons for the facility. First is to keep the public safe. It’s a sad reality that there are those that need to be held in a secure facility because they are a danger to society. The second is to hold them accountable and the third is to make people better. That’s what we’re all about.”

The most important thing about the new unit is the capacity to better care for those in custody, he said. “The medical team has been handicapped. This will give them the ability to watch those who need closer attention for substance issues and withdrawal. We’re efficient with that now but this will improve care for those inmates.”

Some of the new things include two big dorm style rooms, said Sparks. “If there’s an outbreak of a communicable disease they can be quarantined in those rooms. We also have a couple of positive pressure cells for something that is highly contagious involving air droplets, etc. Inmates can be put in those cells. They have positive ventilation with clean air coming in and potentially contaminated air going outside. It doesn’t circulate in the facility at all.”

The layout of the building gives staff the ability to observe people more effectively, he said. “There are cameras throughout the facility and also line of sight so they can see down the hall at all the cells for suicide watch or other constant care needs.”

The new unit has 33 medical observation beds and two suicide watch beds. “It’s also got unique modern windows that let in natural light,” Sparks said. “It used to be closed off and dark. Inmates would not see the sky for a long time. Science has proven that they do better, behave better and feel better with natural light.”

The windows are secure and impenetrable, he said. “They can’t be breached but can let in light.”

Sparks said he’s also been concerned about the staff. “They’ve been working in less than ideal conditions. This creates a great workspace. I look forward to that improvement for them.”

“I’m grateful to all of you who supported the project,” said Facilities Manager Mitch Matern. “It started in 2017 as a conceptual design of what we needed out here. In 2019 we got the funds so we were ready to go and moved forward.”

It was also the height of COVID, he said. “We met a couple of times face to face with Archiplex but then it was over Google Meets. It’s interesting how that took place.”

Matern said they were very, very worried about materials, especially the steel detention hardware. “They told us we wouldn’t get it until late August but Hogan did some magical work to get the steel before it was needed. We also struggled to get workers on it but it all came together into this amazing building and to come in under budget is phenomenal.”

“Clerk/Auditor Curtis Koch has been an amazing partner,” said Sparks. “He was able to find the funding to make this come about without the need to raise taxes or get another bond.”

Although the unit has been completed, there are some things that have to happen before it is put to use. “There are a few furnishings and fixtures we’re waiting for because of supply chain issues,” Sparks said. “We have to take a significant amount of time to test our security systems to make sure everything is safe and secure. It will probably take a month to do all of those things.”

The Medical Observation Unit doesn’t increase the number of inmates, he said. “It just allows us to treat those inmates better medically. Our mission is to make individuals better when they leave than they were when they came to us.” λ