Could expansion solve issues at the Macon jail? Bibb County sheriff thinks so

After advocating repeatedly for a new Bibb County Jail, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis proposed Thursday an idea to instead expand the current local jail to better accommodate for disruptive inmates and those with mental health issues.

Some detainees who fall under these categories share close quarters and interact with neurotypical and well-behaved ones in the general population areas, rather than in separate cell blocks at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center at 688 Oglethorpe Street in Macon. This overlap has recently caused safety issues, Davis said at a town hall meeting hosted by Macon’s NAACP Thursday evening.

“We try to isolate them, those that have what we call acute mental health issues,” he said. “I’m talking about they’re destabilized, they’re being violent, they’re being physically aggressive.”

About 30% of incarcerated people at the jail have acute mental illnesses, according to Davis. But the jail’s infirmary unit and designated cell blocks do not have enough room to fit all of them, he said. He was unsure how many of these people do not fit.

“We don’t have as many as I’d like, that’s why I’d like to build a little bit bigger space,” Davis said.

The jail capacity is 966 detainees, and the jail held 980 as of Thursday, Davis confirmed.

At least six people have died by homicide or suicide at the jail since 2020, The Telegraph previously reported.

When the jail is over capacity, detainees are put in a more open space, rather than holding one person per cell. Several people sleep near each other in the open space, rather than in individual cells.

“Those are sometimes in our J block or the newer unit, because its more open in the dormitory area so that we have space to put individuals in those places,” Davis said. “That’s how we can accommodate up to 1,020 (to) 1,030.”

People in these units lay on individual plastic boat-shaped beds on the floor, which include a mattress and sheets.

“Did y’all ever have a sleepover and you can lay a pallet on the floor or something?” Davis said. “We call it a boat, but what it is, is a self contained bed unit.”

Gwenette Westbrooks, president of Macon’s NAACP, asked if the jail makes any effort to release inmates faster, in order to improve its overpopulation.

“Some people have misdemeanor charges, not all of them are felonies... A lot of them are not able to get bonded out because they don’t have money...,” Westbrooks told Davis. “Would y’all allow those people to be released early when it comes to overcrowding?”

The jail offers detainees incentives for community service, such as lawn mowing and cleaning inside of the jail. A judge decides whether the person can shorten their sentence for these duties.

“If they’re in there doing community service, and getting what we call good time ... their sentence is basically cut in half ...,” Davis said. “They get their time cut, a day for a day.”

Around 11% of inmates at the jail were booked on misdemeanor charges, he said. These people are more likely to have their sentences cut short.

When the jail gets overcrowded, which Davis said happens often, it transfers detainees to other law enforcement centers in Georgia.

“We have had some that were chronic trouble makers that we did send to other jails, and they seem to be able to accommodate them, but that’s a case by case basis,” he said.

Those who are disruptive usually do not take their recommended medications, according to Davis.

“So if we have a facility that we can put individuals like that, kind of sick and the disruptive, that would really help us,” he said. “Something without more than 200 spaces, 200 beds or cells, that would be very helpful.”

Davis said he has spoken to Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller about this option, and expects commissioners to discuss it soon.

Lester recently addressed the need for a new or upgraded jail in a lengthy Facebook post.

These upgrades to the current jail are more likely to happen than a brand new jail, Davis suggested. The county already bought land to build a new jail, so it is unclear what will happen to that land.

“At this point, it could be done obviously for less expenditure, for less money, and in less time than a new jail,” Davis said.

This story was originally published May 9, 2025 at 12:50 PM.