Sheriff revisits inmate release policy

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The Vigo County Sheriff Department (VCSD) reports their new inmate release policies are working.

The VCSD had three people released from jail by error in 2011.

If a person is released by error, that person is sometimes charged with escape, unless they turn themselves back in.

In 2011, three inmates were released by error; it was a pattern that Sheriff Greg Ewing with the VCSD had to put a stop to.

And he did so by revamping policies and procedures; requiring supervisors to double check release forms.

"And so that really has stopped a lot of those issues just having a second set of eyes look at that but not to mention our computer system actually throws a stop flag up now that they have to physically dismiss on their computer,” said Ewing.

Ewing says since the change in policies, the department has had no early release errors.

Ewing says there was a male that ran from the court house, but he was not in police custody at the time.  Another man ran from Terre Haute City Police, as they tried to drop him off and book him into the Vigo County Jail.

Ewing says he preached to his Deputies to exercise accuracy and not speed. He says when people start to rush is when errors happen.

On average the Vigo County Jail books in about 50,000 people a year.

Some are released right away but Ewing says that’s a lot of people and paper work to keep track of and that is why he had to implement a new policy.