PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The regional jail that has served five cities for 25 years has officially closed.
Staffing challenges and decreased inmate population are the reasons behind the Hampton Roads Regional Jail shutdown, according to board members. Now, city leaders in Portsmouth have their eyes on the building itself, saying negotiations are ongoing to buy it.
"You’re breaking up a family that has been here for 26 years," said Charmane Neal, who called her fellow employees at the HRRJ her family.
Neal worked at the jail in various roles since the doors opened. She called the closure a mistake and questioned the reasoning behind it.
"It has been emotional for us. Like I said, some of us have found jobs, some have not found jobs," said Neal.
The jail has, at times, been embroiled in controversy. They've dealt with the death of more than 25 inmates since 2015. Notably, the deaths of Jamycheal Mitchell and Henry Stewart prompted leadership changes.
In a 43-page Department of Justice report in 2018, they listed a series of jail failures including ignoring prisoner requests for medical treatment and leaving inmates in their cells for 22 hours or more.
Hampton Roads Regional Jail housed inmates who have the most serious medical and mental health needs from Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton, and Chesapeake city jails. The jail had the highest mentally ill inmate population across the state.
The regional jail board later agreed to improve medical and mental health care at the facility but said that proved difficult due to staffing challenges.
As costs have risen, staffing has steadily decreased over the years; 13News Now reported in 2018 that one officer would have to supervise 120 inmates.
The jail also lost its accreditation with the American Correctional Association in 2021.
"We've suffered from staffing challenges and decreased inmate populations over the years and the five jurisdictions have felt that it's no longer in our all best interest to sustain the operations," said Peter Buryk, HRRJ Authority Board Vice Chair, shortly after the board voted to close the jail in October.
Now, any inmates who were still in the regional jail have returned to their respective cities.
Earlier this month, jail authority board members passed a resolution to pay off a $14 million bond.
In a statement Friday, jail leadership and staff noted the “happy memories” and the “blood, sweat, and tears” that went into the organization that, at one time, housed more than 1,100 inmates.
"The staff here at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail has always been mission-focused. I predict that our officers, wherever they go, will shine bright like the diamonds they are. I am proud to note that 92% of our staff has been placed in new jobs. This will positively impact the jurisdictions we served and those Regional Jails our officers have transitioned to and found a new work family," said Deputy Superintendent William J. Anderson in that same statement.
During the last board meeting, Colonel Michael O’Toole said he told the employees: “You all saved us at a time when [local jails were overcrowded]. We appreciate all you have done.”
Now, the City of Portsmouth has its eyes on the facility. Vice Mayor and board member Lisa Lucas-Burke has said in the past that city leaders want to make the regional jail its city jail. She said that would free up space on the waterfront where the current city jail sits.
"We need a jail. Our jail currently is on the waterfront, and we need to be able to offer that to a prime developer to be able to develop our waterfront into something beautiful and that will attract visitors and maybe even homeowners, if we decide to go that route with condos or something," Lucas-Burke previously told 13News Now.
In a phone call Friday, Mayor Shannon Glover said those negotiations are ongoing, but couldn’t elaborate due to the “sensitive” nature.
Jail leadership said employees at the jail who signed a contract to stay until the final closure received a $10,000 bonus and received help finding new jobs through job fairs, although Neal said that didn't help her or some of the colleagues very much.
In the meantime, Neal is trying to figure out what comes next for her.
"I’m just praying for us and that God leads us in the right direction," she said.