When Flathead County Justice of Peace Eric Hummel decides whether an individual charged with a crime will be held in the Flathead County Detention Center, he starts by checking the capacity of the jail.  

“When there is a homicide, a drunk driver and someone charged with burglary and there is only room for two in the jail, then the court must decide who gets released,” Hummel said to a standing room only crowd gathered at the Historic Courthouse. “We need a larger jail. Our justice system relies on the ability to hold individuals accountable, but right now space limitations dictate outcomes.”  

For more than two decades, the county jail — constructed in 1986 —  has been plagued with overcrowding, safety concerns, limited ability to serve inmates with mental health needs, a lack of appropriate space for rehabilitation programs and unsafe working conditions, according to officials.  

To address the issue, Flathead County is proposing to construct a new detention center on county land south of Kalispell. In a gathering that included county officials, state representatives, members of law enforcement and the community, the county on July 1 unveiled plans for the Flathead County Public Safety Facility that in addition to a new jail would also house the Sheriff’s Office, a courtroom and the Office of Emergency Services.  

Voters in November will decide on a $105 million bond to fund the project. If approved, the bond would result in a $35 per year increase in taxes for a home valued at $300,000. For a home valued at $600,000, the increase would be about $80 per year.  

For more than 20 years, Sheriff Brian Heino said, he’s personally watched law enforcement struggle to hold people accountable because of a lack of space in the county jail. It’s a problem that’s only been exacerbated as the population of the county has grown.  

“What’s at stake now is that overcrowding has evolved from an inconvenience to a danger for staff, inmates and the public,” Heino said. “The facility lacks the ability to safely separate inmates, provide special services or house violent and vulnerable individuals appropriately.”  

The current detention facility on Main Street has about 154 beds; however, the maximum safe operational capacity is 96 due to the building’s configuration. After undergoing multiple remodels, spaces intended for other purposes such as a library have been converted to house inmates. 

The new facility would not only double capacity, but it would also enhance safety and efficiency through the latest technology, while also providing specialized housing for violent offenders and dedicated mental health facilities.  

Detention Commander Jenny Root said the jail operates at about 80% capacity due to the need to separate violent and non-violent offenders, along with the limitations related to the building’s linear configuration, poor sightlines and insufficient support space. An area with four beds might only be able to house one mentally ill inmate due to safety concerns.  

“These are people from our community,” she said. “At our new facility we hope to offer services and also have a place for those mentally ill inmates so that they are not disrupting other inmates.”  

A study completed by county consultants indicates that the county would need 150 to 200 detention beds by 2040 to accommodate the projected jail population.  Expansion options for the current facility, which is about 78,000 square feet, the study notes, would not be financially responsible due to aging building infrastructure, site limitations and staff inefficiencies.   

While addressing overcrowding remains a top concern, Root says the new jail would also increase safety for inmates and staff through a central control tower that would allow supervision of all inmates and technology like automatic cell locks. Detention staff now must manually unlock cells which poses a danger in a situation like a fire. 

A design providing areas with natural light, improved ventilation systems and limiting noise would create a better working environment for staff and for the inmates housed there. The current facility places mentally ill inmates who may spend hours screaming or pounding walls directly across the hall from detention staff offices, while overflowing toilets leaves sewage leaking into the Sheriff’s Office below.  

“A new jail would mean improved mental health for the staff,” Root said. “When we can improve efficiency and the environment, it makes it less stressful for staff and inmates. The ability to separate inmates appropriately means less fights and less problems, which is positive for everyone.”   

The new facility would be roughly 118,200 square feet in size. The jail would have the capacity to hold 200 inmates in general population pods, along with 42 beds dedicated for violent offenders and those with special medical or mental health needs.  

Owing to improved building design and technology, only 14 new employees would need to be added, above the current detention staff of 38. 

Walking into a small room at the current jail, Root points out that the space, adorned with a few tables and chairs and a storage closet, is the only option for the limited programming offered to inmates. Carts with books in the hallways serve as libraries. 

The new facility would offer increased space allowing for programing such as life skills and parenting classes that Roots plans to bring in with the help of volunteers in the hopes of reducing recidivism.  

“Our goal is to return people into our community better than we received them,” Root said.  

Last year, the county purchased 114 acres on Snowline Lane as a potential location for a jail.  The county set aside $18 million for the jail project and has spent about $5 million for the purchase of the property, geotechnical work and preliminary designs. 

Commissioner Pam Holmquist, who has long been a supporter of constructing a new jail, noted that the county has been putting away primarily federal funds since 2017 for the project aiming to ease the burden on taxpayers.  

“I’m very pleased with the numbers and excited to hopefully see the light at the end of the tunnel for this much needed jail,” Holmquist said.  

If approved, construction on the jail would begin as early as spring of 2026. It would take three years to complete.  

Martel Construction is serving as construction manager for the project. Elevatus Architecture has designed the new facility.  

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or [email protected].