Overcrowding at the Grand Traverse County Jail is approaching crisis proportions, according to law enforcement officials who addressed the Board of Commissioners last week.

The jail population has increased each month this year versus 2013, according to Sheriff Tom Bensley. In April, the daily jail population averaged 181 inmates, including one day when the total reached 201. The facility has 162 usable beds.

Jail Administrator Capt. Bob Hall was asked to rate the severity of the situation on a 1-to-10 scale. “Nine and a half,” he answered. “If this continues into the fall, we’re in real trouble.”

If the jail population exceeds 194 inmates (including those on work release) for an extended period, the Michigan Department of Corrections will contact the county and require that the population be reduced, either by early release or lodging inmates in other counties.

Bensley has said publicly over the past several months that a new Grand Traverse County jail will ultimately have to be built to accommodate the increased population; others counter that the surge in jail population is just a temporary trend. The estimated cost of a new jail could reach $20-$30 million.

At any given time, Grand Traverse County boards between 22 and 26 inmates a day in nearby jails; Leelanau County is its most frequent partner at a charge of $30 per day, not including transportation or medical costs.

But Hall argues that moving inmates to other nearby counties is complicated, Some inmates have not been sentenced and must make regular visits to court. And, even when nearby counties have the space, many are reluctant to take prisoners who have medical, mental wellness, or behavioral issues. He estimates that 60 to 80 percent of inmates require mental health care, ranging from counseling for anxiety to daily medications.

Officials not only point to the surge in the number of inmates, but also to the seriousness of their offenses. “Usually there were 40 to 50 felonies [per year], but now it’s over 75,” Hall says. “The level of crime is going up and they are more serious crimes.”

Meanwhile, Bensley and Hall met with District Court Judges T.J. Phillips and Michael Stepka to discuss early releases of non-violent inmates.

Bensley says overcrowding is a safety issue for both inmates and staff. “Our priority is officer and inmate safety,” he says. “That is at the forefront of the jail operation.”

While the debate continues, Bensley is requesting the replacement of the main jail area’s 30 year-old heating and cooling system. For both staff and inmates, it’s too cold in the winter and sweltering in the summer. He told commissioners there’s money in his budget for the replacement.

“We have some not-very-nice people in that jail, more than we’ve ever had,” adds Hall. “I don’t want to make them happy, but I certainly don’t want to make them upset.”