AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – The Potter County Detention Center is bursting at the seams and looking for ways to expand and add more beds.

Due to overcrowding at the jail, officials contracted with five counties to house excess inmates and spent more than $175,000 from June to October.

“Well, it costs us a lot, while we could house them here if we had space, but that’s just the cost of the inmates per day. That doesn’t count all the other things we have to do, transportation, gas, overtime,” said Sheriff Brian Thomas of the Potter County Sheriff’s Office.

According to Sheriff Thomas, to meet admission demand and stay below 85% capacity, the expansion would require at least 250 additional beds.

“We haven’t yet reached our plateau where we have stabilized. We continue to do it and if we’re going to do it, we need to do it where we’re building enough to be able to continue that trend right now,” Thomas said.

Potter County officials say the number of beds approved will determine the cost of the expansion and will include increased staffing.

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