BEMIDJI, MN (KDLM/MNN) – The Minnesota Department of Corrections is ordering the Beltrami County Jail to reduce its capacity by Wednesday. The DOC received a complaint stemming from a suicide attempt last Tuesday where emergency medical care was delayed.
On Friday, the DOC placed the Bemidji facility’s license on conditional status and ordered the county to reduce the jail’s population by Wednesday.
“As the licensing authority, out of immediate concern for the safety of both staff and the people in custody, I’ve ordered the Beltrami County Jail to reduce the licensed capacity of the facility,” DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell stated. “When life safety is an issue, we must take swift and decisive action.”
Investigators say they discovered multiple violations of minimum staffing levels and several instances where staff failed to conduct timely well-being checks.
“While investigating the complaint, the DOC discovered multiple violations of minimum staffing levels, attempts to prevent medical transport for emergency care, and delay of medical transport for emergency care — despite direction from medical staff that the care was clinically indicated. These violations are in direct violation of the state’s jail standards,” the state shared in a news release Monday.
The jail must reduce its inmate capacity from 132 to 80, a nearly 40 percent decrease.

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