WASHINGTON COUNTY (KFSM) -- The Washington County Sheriff is trying to get the word out that a new jail expansion will be needed soon to combat overcrowding.
Sheriff Tim Helder said right now they are okay, but there are other factors involved.
One of those include the possibility of Springdale closing it's jail.
Helder said they work closely with the Springdale Police Department and if they did decide to close, he would know with plenty of time to plan.
No matter when or if this happens, Helder said it would still be at least two years before they had a working facility.
Helder attributed the overcrowding to multiple things.
He said in his experience it includes a growing population, more arrests being made and a growing drug problem.
"Whether it's breaking into someone's home to steal items that can be traded in or sold for cash to buy drugs or whatever," Helder said. "Acts of violence and different things I think are the cause is abuse of drugs and alcohol."
The project would cost millions of dollars.
Helder said he just wants the public to be aware of this issue and that a fix will be needed sometime in the future.