Fulton County’s newly elected Sheriff Pat Labat uses Atlanta’s mostly empty jail as overflow for county facilities. He told the city council Thursday, the purchase could help overcrowding at the county jail. The plan appeals to some city council members, but the Atlanta mayor’s office is not convinced.
Sheriff Labat told council members the beleaguered Fulton County jail is over capacity by 13 percent.
“Right now, we have a little over 234 people that are sleeping on what we call ‘boats,’” said Labat, referring to cot-like buckets on the floor.
As former city corrections chief, Labat used to run the city jail he now wants to buy.