Local Police Officers Point To Cost Of Private Prisons

Once prisons are sold, they become private property. And local law enforcement, not state troopers, would then be called to investigate crimes at the private-run prisons. Ohio Fraternal Order of Police President Jay McDonald is a police officer in Marion, where two prisons could potentially be sold. Untitled 2 “It is impossible for the Marion Police Department to absorb the work of investigating crimes in two prisons.” But Carlo Loparo with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says the prison’s buyers would have to take care of that through property taxes. Untitled 3 “We’re looking at, depending on the value of the properties, anywhere from $800,000 to $2.3 million for the local community. That money will go to schools, libraries, and local law enforcement.” Leaders in the House apparently believe in the privatization idea - the House version of the budget adds on the possibility of selling another prison – a juvenile lockup in Scioto County – and allows for the privatization of county jails.