On April 26, 2011 the Whatcom County Council approved a resolution establishing a Jail Planning Task Force (JPTF). The JPTF was comprised of local citizens, County Administration, Sheriff's Office and Health Department staff. Their collaboration and hard work resulted in recommendations for tangible "next steps" in the development of the New Jail.
Recommendations are borne from the following JPTF statement of need:
“Due to inadequate existing conditions of the physical plant, life safety concerns and over-crowding, significant and urgent improvements are needed to current adult correctional facilities, including the physical plant, programming and alternatives to incarceration. These changes are needed in order to provide safe and cost-effective justice solutions for our community.”