Jail, sheriff align to protect court

By Nate Giarnese

The jail is working more closely with law enforcement, pledging inmates to aid local police and a key corrections officer to beef up underfunded court security.Evidence that old allegiances are being strengthened to combat the cost crunch, Carroll County jail captain Jason Johnson said he reached out to the new sheriff and Ossipee police with an offer of inmate labor to mop up last week's massive storm damage.While he said the inmates ultimately weren't needed, the offer stands.In event of another disaster, Johnson said, "they can call upon our resources.A more critical agreement was forged with the jail offering to to inject a corrections officer into sheriff Jon Hebert's court security team. Hebert was appointed as sheriff after the June resignation of his old boss, former sheriff Scott Carr, a polarizing figure whose leadership contributed to rifts within the government.The offer of the corrections officer comes as per-diem bailiffs across the state linked up with the powerful Teamsters union to cry out for wage increases. In the meantime local officials are scrambling to secure the court while still paying state-set $65-a-day bailiff rates without benefits.Without using any overtime, we're supplying them with one CO, Johnson told the county commission.