Alabama attorney general rules that Alabama sheriffs may pocket leftover food money after feeding inmates at county jailsMONTGOMERY - Alabama sheriffs may pocket leftover food money after feeding inmates at the county jails, the Alabama attorney general has ruled.
The opinion issued March 17 offered guidance on the controversial practice of sheriff's keeping whatever is left over from the
$1.75 a day per inmate the state pays sheriffs to provide food in the jails.
The director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association praised the opinion and said it
gives sheriffs incentive to wisely manage jail grocery costs."The code is very explicit, the excess belongs to the sheriff," said Bobby Timmons, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association.
Some county officials have argued the surplus money should not be the personal income of the sheriff.
"Our disagreement with the attorney general is, if there's a surplus, it ought to be used for law enforcement purposes and not be put into the personal income of the sheriff," said Buddy Sharpless, executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama.
...
Timmons said the extra income to the sheriff
could be zero dollars because of rising grocery costs, or it could be tens of thousands of dollars in a year when the sheriff is able to find good deals.
"You can't just give them an apple and two crackers. You got to give them a nourishing balanced meal," Timmons said.
County commissions can direct the surplus funds to be deposited into the county general fund, but only if the county takes over the responsibility of feeding prisoners, according to the attorney general's office.
Birmingham NewsIs giving inmates bologna sandwiches a nourishing balanced meal?
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