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Hennepin County Jail (FOX 9)

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – THE Minnesota The Department of Corrections (DOC) orders the Hennepin County prison to reduce his detained population in order to meet the minimum safety standards set by the State.

What does the State order?

The Minnesota DOC said in a conditional license order that the Hennepin County Jail failed to meet the required ratio of custodial staff to inmates, which could endanger the safety of everyone in the facility .

The order also says the jail failed to conduct the required number of health checks and was unable to respond to emergencies in a timely manner.

State officials now require the prison to reduce its population to 600 inmates by November 14.

As of Nov. 9, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office website says there are 844 inmates in custody, including 705 in the Hennepin County facility and 139 in other jails.

Sheriff’s response

Hennepin County Sheriff Dewanna Witt said her office intends to “appeal the order and seek court review if necessary.”

The sheriff’s office also said it has asked DOC to extend the implementation deadline from Nov. 14 to Dec. 5, adding that DOC’s timeline is “not realistic when it comes to complying with the enforcement order.” the safest and most responsible way.

Past incidents

State officials say seven inmates died between September 2022 and September 2024.

The report cites an incident in which a prison staff member conducted a fake wellness check on Dec. 31, 2022. The inmate who was scheduled to be checked later died from a medical emergency, according to the report .

Earlier the same year, an inmate died in custody after telling jailers he swallowed a bag of drugs. This incident gave rise to legal action in early 2024.

LEARN MORE: Hennepin County Jail Lawsuit Filed After Inmate’s Death in 2022

The report also highlights a death of an inmate this occurred on September 18, 2023, saying the prison should have placed the inmate “under more frequent observation, as required by rule.”

LEARN MORE: Hennepin County Jail inmate dies