Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin is warning that a massive public safety crisis is worsening following the prolonged closure of the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail.
The facility has been entirely closed since a June inmate takeover and hostage situation left the building with extensive damage. Because neither Bertie nor Martin County has local holding cells available, law enforcement staff are forced to drive across North Carolina searching for open beds to house new detainees.
Speaking at a county commissioners meeting, Sheriff Ruffin said limited resources have left the area in a severe crisis. Ruffin reported a noticeable increase in local break-ins, thefts, and shootings over the past few months. The sheriff has proposed transferring direct jail authority to his office to leverage existing law enforcement relationships and secure faster inmate placements.
Meanwhile, the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail Commission has approved a $1.4 million contract with Mosley Architecture for repairs, though officials warn the facility could remain closed for up to a year.
In addition to structural repairs, local officials are actively looking into alternative methods for inmate transportation while the facility is offline.
Commissioners hope the newly approved architectural contract will jumpstart the path toward safety upgrades, but a full reopening is still months away.
