This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - An abundance of prisoners and shortage of jail deputies have made for a less-than-ideal situation at the Kootenai County jail in northern Idaho, an official said.
Kootenai County jail Capt. Travis Chaney said that jail employees have been working mandatory overtime for the past 18 months, and that the overtime pay is $120,000 over budget.
He also said that the dormitory-style inmate housing added in 2001 makes it difficult to separate inmates who might get into fights.
The dorm pods were designed for lower-risk inmates, but the jail is housing more dangerous criminals because of limited space.
