Regional Jail Discussed for Oil Patch Area

WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — County officials in northwestern North Dakota are discussing the possibility of building a regional jail.

People have been flocking to the oil patch, and crime has been rising. A new jail that was built in Williams County in 2008 was supposed to handle inmate growth for 50 years, but it filled up shortly after it opened.

The Williston Herald reports Williams County Sheriff Scott Busching and Commissioner Dan Kalil have talked about the issue with officials from Burke, Divide, Mountrail and McKenzie counties. They're discussing the possibility of a regional jail managed by a single county, or two smaller regional facilities.

An architect estimates the cost at more than $11 million.