Broken Elevators A Problem For Bellingham Jail

KING 5 reports that the two elevators serving the Whatcom County Jail in Bellingham, Washington, are broken and replacement will cost US$1.8 million, according to Sheriff Bill Elfo. The sheriff says the nonfunctional elevators, along with other issues, such as outdated windows and doors, pose security risks. Without elevators, inmates must be moved through stairwells or fire-escape routes, which the sheriff says is unsafe. Deputies have also been trapped in faulty elevators with inmates. Elfo is lobbying for a new jail to replace the 38-year-old facility, but faces opposition from at least one political opponent. A 2016 study found the jail’s elevators had reached the end of their useful life.