He said the expanision could open a new venue for the department by housing prisoners from other counties.

Thompson knows first hand what it's like to have a chunk of a budget taken away because of shipping prisoners to other places, but he said with the new facility thousands of dollars being spent to have them go other places will be a thing of the past.

Thompson said once the expansion is somplete, it won't open right away.

Several state and fire inspectors, along with the Bureau of Adult Detention need to take a look at the facility to make sure it's up to standards.

Thompson said when it does open, the jail will have the highest technology.

he said, "We are getting touch screen control panels. We are getting two of those in and everything is going to be state of the art."

There's no word on when the jail expansion will officially open, but the sheriff says he is meeting with commissioners next week about the staffing.