What happens if Franklin County takes jail and courthouse security away from sheriff?

By the end of the day Wednesday, Franklin County jail deputies may no longer be carrying guns if the county commission goes through with a plan to take immediate control of the jail and courthouse security.

That’s because corrections deputies are only legally allowed to carrying weapons and arrest people because they are commissioned under the authority of Sheriff Jim Raymond.

If the county takes over jail and security operations, the sheriff no longer has authority over those employees.

“I’m not going to take on those liabilities,” Raymond told the Tri-City Herald on Tuesday. “(The commissioners) just simply haven’t thought it out.”

The three Franklin County commissioners are expected to discuss and possibly vote on a pair of resolutions that would create a new county department of corrections under their oversight.

The county has not released any details on how it would take over the $10 million jail operation.

County Administrator Brian Dansel declined to talk to the Herald on Tuesday about the issue prior to the commission’s discussion Wednesday.

Commissioners have not talked about the takeover proposal publicly or how they would manage the sudden transition.

Sheriff Raymond said the commissioners didn’t talk to him about the move, which he said could put the county, the jail and about 200 inmates in jeopardy.

A representative for the jailers’ union told Herald he hopes it could bring an opportunity to negotiate a better contract.

Sheriff warns of problems

While the county commissioners haven’t shared their plans, Raymond told the Tri-City Herald on Tuesday what he will do if they proceed.

He will move the jail commander and jail captain into positions in the sheriff’s office. It’s not clear who would replace them.

Other jail and security staff will not be able to enforce laws, carry weapons in most cases or wear the sheriff’s badges or patches since they will no longer be commissioned under the sheriff’s office.

Raymond said the county commissioners haven’t considered how this change with affect policies and procedures that rely on the commissioned officers.

He expects it will result in the jail losing its accreditation from the Washington Associations of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.

In addition, he said the county will likely need to renegotiate contracts for medical services and for housing other inmates because those contracts are currently under his name.

“The costs (to operate the jail) are going to triple,” Raymond predicted.

Benton County jail change

When Benton County commissioners took over their jail six years ago, they hired a jail commander to oversee jail operations.

Then-Sheriff Jerry Hatcher responded by pulling the commissions of the jail staff, stripping them of their law enforcement powers and ability to have guns in most situations.

State law allows corrections officers to be armed when they’re transporting an inmate.

The commissioners had been looking at splitting the agency for years but finally voted 2-1 to take over after continuing allegations against Hatcher.

At the time, Commissioner Jerome Delvin accused the controversial sheriff of mismanaging the jail, failing to pay Lourdes Health Services, causing morale problems and using the jail budget to fund the patrol division.

Raymond’s move to pull his command staff from the jail into the sheriff’s division will be similar to what happened in Benton County.

The county commissioners then had to rehire a former jail commander to head that new corrections department.

Later, after Hatcher was recalled from office by voters, Sheriff Tom Croskrey lifted some of the restrictions on correction officers being able to book suspects, serving court orders and investigate suspected crimes inside the jail.

County commissioners later asked Croskrey if he wanted to take back management of the jail, and he decided to wait.

Now, he says he’s happy with the current division of responsibilities.

Teamsters union reaction

While Raymond has predicted big problems with the change, the leader of one group — Teamsters Local 839 — said he’d be happy to see the leadership change.

The union that represents the corrections deputies has been locked in a lengthy series of disputes with Raymond that has led to court battles, arbitration and two complaints to the state.

The fight has left the corrections deputies unable to reach a contract agreement for three years, said union Secretary-Treasurer Russell Shjerven.

Raymond has accused the union of trying to undermine his safe operation and management of the jail.

“Ever since we organized the Franklin County corrections deputies it’s been nothing but a fight,” Shjerven said.

He said Benton and Walla Walla counties have been easier to deal with since they moved the jail out of control of the sheriff. He expects a similar result in Franklin County.

“Hopefully we can get them a good contract and a nice wage increase,” he said.

This story was originally published April 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.