12.05.07
Moultrie County Jail
2007 Inspection Report

Criminal Justice Specialist Dianne Fritschle inspected the Moultrie County Jail on October 31. Entrance and exit interviews were conducted with Jail Administrator Ken Johnson and Sheriff Jeff Thomas.

Improvements since last inspection include a new 56-bed facility now in operation, visitation via video, the jail procedure manual updated the detainee orientation manual updated.

Non-compliances include security—backup personnel should be notified and available when cell doors to living quarters are opened. The recommendation is to ensure that enough staff is available on each shift to ensure backup is available. As the control room officer does not leave that post, then no less than two officers should be assigned to the jail floor.

Other recommendations include ensure that tools and equipment are logged upon entering and exiting the jail which will reduce the possibility of a contractor leaving a tool in an area accessible to detainees, and the Grand Jury or panel of citizens appointed by the chief judge should tour the jail, examine its condition, the treatment of detainees, and file a report of findings.

12.05.07
Aaron Thomas takes Top Gun honors

The marksmanship skills of Moultrie County Sheriff's deputy Aaron Thomas proved to be almost unbeatable during the Seventh Annual Police Training Institute Combat Challenge held at the Police Training Institute's Tactical Training Center Sept. 22.
Forty-eight participants arrived to work their way through six challenging courses of fire. The ranges consisted of The Gauntlet, Mow 'Em Down, Lean and Mean, Double Trouble, Scatter Gun Run and the Modified Dozier.
After the initial run through the ranges and hundreds of re-shoot rounds, a clear over-all winner emerged. Posting the best time on each of the ranges except Double Trouble, Aaron Thomas came out on top. John Krupa, of the Chicago Police Department, a multi-year, past champion bested Thomas on Double Trouble by .06 seconds.
The awards ceremony was held at the Soma UltraLounge in downtown Champaign. PTI Alumni Association President Doug Haig acted as the Master of Ceremonies. Awards were presented to first through third place winners of the individual ranges in three classes. John Krupa ceremoniously passed the torch by presenting Aaron Thomas with the Top Shooter award.
The awards breakdown is as follows: Top Gun, Aaron Thomas, total time in all events 32.74 seconds; Range 1, Gauntlet challenge, Thomas, first place, 4.38 seconds, John Krupa, second place, Chicago Police Department, 4.70 seconds, Vincent Jamison, third place, Chicago Police Department, 5.08 seconds. Range 2, Mow-em Down, Thomas, first place, 4.01 seconds, Krupa, second place, 4.43 seconds. Range 3E, Lean & Mean, Thomas, first place, 9.45 seconds, Krupa, second place, 9.82 seconds, Richard Lombard, third place, Chicago Police Department, 10.49 seconds.
Range 3W, Double Trouble, Krupa, first place, 7.54 seconds, Thomas, second place, 7.60 seconds, Roland Perez, third place, Chicago Police Department, 9.37 seconds. Range 4, Scatter Gun Run, Thomas, first place, 4.90 seconds, Mike Plavchav, second place, Warren Police Department, 4.95 seconds, Kevin Johnson, third place, East Moline Police Department, 5.30 seconds. Range 5, Modified Dozier Drill, Thomas, first place, 2.40 seconds, Charles Bergeron, second place, Sheridan Police Department, 2.48 seconds, Krupa, third place, 2.55 seconds.

11.25.07

1) This jail was built in the spring and summer of 1876 and served the county until the voters agreed that a new, larger and more sanitary jail was needed. It was located on the same site as the larger jail that replaced it in 1915.

2) Two squad cars, 1920s vintage, are parked beside the Moultrie County jail, which served the county from 1915 to 2007 when a new detention facility opened in the northwest part of Sullivan. The building will be sold at auction Dec. 8. The facility also served as a family residence for the sheriff until about 1965 when the residence portion was remodeled to service as the offices of the sheriff’s department.
Photos courtesy of Paul Lee Stone

Speculation on the future of the old county jail should come to a close Dec. 8 when it goes up for auction.
The present structure was opened in 1915, but it had been the site of a jail for many years prior to that date, according to the 1881 “Combined History of Shelby and Moultrie Counties, Illinois.”
The first jail on the site was built in the spring and summer of 1876 at a cost of $6,972, the lowest of 15 bids received. The brick, two-story structure was 32 by 52 feet. The lower story was conveniently arranged “for domestic purposes of the sheriff.”
The second story was divided into two halls, “besides the prisoners’ room.” The first hall was entered from the stairway and was completely cut off by iron grating from the second hall. The second hall was next to the prison proper and was effectually barred from the cell room. The latest patent locks and appurtenances were used in these halls. There were eight ironclad cells — four on each side of the cells — in which the prisoners recreate.
When the history of the building was written for the book, there were only four prisoners confined in the jail — two for larceny, one for rape and one four murder.
Even though a new well had been dug and a new boiler had been installed in the early teens, two separate grand juries recommended a new jail be built.
The grand jury sitting in March found “the sanitary conditions to be as good as the construction of the building permitted, but “We recommend that a new jail be built at once, in conformity with the law for such buildings.”
Members of that grant jury were Albert A. Brown, foreman, O.F. Cochran, A.J. Little, James Galbreath, R.B. Wheeler, C.A. Smith, L.C. Horn, J.A. Lumsden, F.M. Pearce, Seth McCabe, James B. Craig Jr., Albert Landers, Mike Ducey, C.G. Foster, Henry Murphy, G.H. Moore, J.S. Monson, W.O. Watts, J.B. Graves, F.O. Word, C.F. Hunt, S. Armstrong and J.C. Black.
The second grand jury reported that “after careful inspection of the Moultrie County jail, we find: first, There is at this time in the said jail three male prisoners only, who say they are well-cared for; second, That the said jail is in a sanitary condition so farm as we are able to see, and as is possible to make it; and third, We recommend the building of a new jail as the present is unsafe and not sufficient to keep prisoners from breaking out. The ventilation is poor, there are no apartments for women prisoners separate from the apartments for men and that it would cost too much money to make additions thereto t make the present building modern and sanitary.
Sitting on this jury were J.Y. Bailey, Charley Davison, Opha Leeds, H.M. Duvall, D.G. Warren, John Emel Jr., John W. Watkins, E.L. Ball, R.J. Luttrell, CC. Collins, .O. Glasscock, Ray N. Bupp, John Robert, B.C. Hamm, Lloyd Winchester, Sylvanus P. Drake, John W. Graven, Fred Cotner, A. Mayfield, L.J. Myers, S.C. Smith, Henry Jenne and Charles H. Monroe.
As a result of these recommendations, Supervisor R.C. Parks moved at a special Board of Supervisors meeting April 27 that “the proposition to build a new county jail as recommended in the grand jury report be submitted to a vote of the electors of the county with the general judicial election to be held Monday, 7th day of June A.D., 1915. His motion carried, and Park then moved that the chairman appoint a committee of three to make the necessary arrangements to submit the proposition of building a new county jail. The chairman appointed Park, supervisor of Sullivan Township, J.W. Hoskins, supervisor of East Nelson Township and W.O. Neff, supervisor of Lovington Township.
The subsequent vote was 1,357 in favor to 836 against of the 2,193 votes cast.
At the June 16 meeting, Parks introduced a resolution that “ a new jail be built for (Moultrie County) be built on the North half of Block six in the original town (now city) of Sullivan, the cost of said building not to exceed the sum of $25,000.
The resolution also called for the board of supervisors to meet on the 28th day of June to consider and adopt preliminary plans and specifications “for the construction of said building; and that as soon thereafter as may be found expedient the said board shall proceed to receive bids and enter into a contract for the construction of said jail.”
Five architectural firms presented their sketches of proposed plans. Joseph W. Royer of Urbana received the majority vote of the board to prepare the plans and specifications. At the Friday, July 2 meeting, board members suggested some minor changes in the plans, and ordered Royer to proceed, adopting a resolution to execute a contract with Royer signed by him and the board chairman J.B. Martin.
Nine general contract bids, two heating and plumbing bids and three cell work bids were received and opened at the Aug. 10 board meeting.
The general contract for the erection of the jail and sheriff’s residence was awarded to Hagerman and Harshman of Sullivan, who submitted the low bid of $11,406. L.T. Hagerman & Co. of Sullivan was the low bidder for heating and plumbing at $4,200.
The contract for cell work went to the Pauly Jail Building Co. of St. Louis, Mo., the low bidder at $6,395.
After the supervisors examined samples of bricks from several brick manufacturing companies, they decided to specify the brick known as Hy-tex, mingled colors, submitted by the Hyraulic Press Brick Co. in Brazil, Ind.
Construction was begun, and at the Jan. 18, 1916 meeting, Parks moved that although the building was not entirely completed, “it would be advisable for the county to accept the building conditionally at this time in order that the sheriff may occupy said residence and that the prisoners now in his custody may be confined in said jail.”
Royer accompanied the supervisors on an inspection of the building, after which it was accepted conditionally with $500 being withheld on the Hagerman & Harshman contract until final completion.
W.O. Funston was the first sheriff to live in the jail built in 1915.