The Lonoke Police Department will reopen the jail following a four-year closure

Lonoke, Arkansas – The City of Lonoke will reopen its jail after almost four years, enabling its police department to conduct arrests and end the pattern of releasing individuals who would have remained in jail had the jail cells remained available.

After being closed during COVID-19 due to staffing shortages and code violations, the jail will now serve as a community safety tool following renovations.

Chief of Police Keith Graham stated, “We are in charge of maintaining the safety of all our citizens in our community, and we cannot do that without a jail.”

Graham stated, “We need a jail so that when we arrest someone, they have somewhere to go; otherwise, they are just released and they return, causing whatever problems they had previously.”

Graham said that after being brought into custody for a misdemeanor, a person is processed at the police department and released with a citation or a court date.

They were taken to the Lonoke County jail so they might be held if it was for a felony offense.
Graham claimed, “They know they are basically going to get a ticket or released because they have taken advantage of the fact that we don’t have a jail.” I, along with the mayor, municipal council, and residents of Lonoke, believe that having a functional jail is crucial.

However, after being abandoned and utilized as extra storage, the jail is in disorder. According to Graham, the police force was similarly antiquated and in need of maintenance.

Graham stated, “We had phase one; we are essentially working from one part of the building forward.”

In phase one, the administration offices were remodeled, the walls were painted, new flooring was installed, and decades-old carpets were torn away.

The second phase, which deals with the jail, starts on Thursday. A wall is being taken down to make way for a new processing facility for the prisoners.

Graham claimed that without the city’s residents giving their time to assist with the renovation, none of this would be feasible.

Graham wants to establish a properly managed jail that both the officers and the inmates can feel safe in. In addition, he guarantees that the jail will be open and contribute to community safety.
Graham stated, “In the end, we want to make sure they feel safe in their homes.”