On Monday, the Mesa City Council ignored residents when they voted to approve the privatization of some of its corrections services. The Council voted 4-2 in favor of contracting with controversial CoreCivic firm.
CoreCivic was known as Corrections Corporation of America.
The Council’s action severs the City’s relationship with Maricopa County. The County had handled those arrested by the Mesa Police Department.
According to the Council agenda:
The Mesa Police Department’s Holding Facility is a temporary holding facility and processing center located in the Police headquarters building. Subjects that are arrested and waiting for an initial court appearance before a Mesa City magistrate, are held in the holding facility for no longer than 24 hours. Currently, subjects who have been arrested on misdemeanor and/or felony charges, or have been ordered to remain in-custody by a judge, are transported by Mesa Police Department personnel to the Maricopa County Jail.
Through this contract, the Police Department will establish an agreement with CoreCivic to provide jailing services to include booking, transportation, maintenance and operations of the temporary housing of misdemeanor offenders for the City of Mesa. CoreCivic will provide care and treatment, including the furnishing of subsistence, all necessary medical care and applicable social service programs.
The annual expenditure is estimated to be $4,000,000. With additional capacity for variances within the number of misdemeanants processed, the Police Department and Purchasing recommend awarding the contract to the highest-scored proposal, CoreCivic, at $5,000,000 annually.
Persons arrested in Mesa and charged with felonies will continue to be booked in the Maricopa County Jail.