Otoe County Sheriff, Nebraska and County Jail Information

Otoe County Sheriff

Updated on: February 1, 2024

Otoe County is situated in the northern part of Nebraska State. It was founded in 1854. According to the 2019 US Census, Otoe County has an estimated population of 15,949. The county covers 615 square miles in total, and the zip codes for the county include 68324-68454. The county seat is Nebraska City. The Sheriff is the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in Otoe County. The sheriff in Otoe is Colin C. Caudill. An appointed deputy sheriff deputizes colin. The Sheriff’s office is located at 1021 Central Avenue, Nebraska, 68410. The main objective of the Otoe County Sheriff’s Office is to ensure public safety in the county and provide the residents with a secure environment.

County Law Enforcement

The Sheriff is the head of law enforcement for Otoe County. The Otoe Sheriff’s office has a team including the Sheriff and his deputies and other officers and patrols the county and any locality not covered by the local municipal police. County jails fall under the administrative docket of the Sheriff as one of their main portfolios. The district attorney may direct the Sheriff to investigate a crime or make arrests. The Sheriff also has the responsibility of effecting court orders such as serving eviction notices, writs, subpoenas, and protecting property or persons as directed by the court.

County Correctional Facilities

Otoe County Sheriff Departments have the duty to protect the Otoe community. They arrest traffic laws offenders and criminal offenders, investigate criminal activities as part of their law enforcement responsibilities—officers from Sheriff Departments in Otoe County, Nebraska, arrest and process suspected criminals. The process can include taking mug shots of the offenders. Mugshots of the suspected offenders are part of the arrests records. Additionally, personal information, jail bookings, and court case files resulting from court proceedings are maintained. This information is used for a background check to confirm an individual’s identity. This information is available online for public access on the Sheriff’s official website or from the Sheriff’s office.

Emergency Response

Otoe County was among the first counties in Nebraska to employ the 911 Shared and Networked Public Safety Answering Point Infrastructure upgrade on July 20. The 911 Shared, and Networked Public Safety Answering Point Infrastructure makes it efficient to provide emergency responses when required. It improves communications services due to its wireless nature.

The Otoe County Jail

The Otoe County Jail is a correctional facility located at 1021 Central Avenue, Nebraska City, NE, 68410. The prison is a minimum-security jail. Presently, due to the covid-19 pandemic, Otoe County Jail houses just fewer than eighteen inmates. Its capacity is set at sixteen inmates at any given time. Otoe County Jail houses state detainees and other law offenders awaiting initial court appearances in the county. The Otoe County sheriff is in charge of the jail operations and its detainees.

Background Information about the Jail

It was built in 1988 and has ever since not been ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant despite being considered full capacity for quite some time now. Non-compliance can be attributed to some features in the building structure, such as the hallway and the widths of the doors. It is believed that with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990, by now, the jail should have complied. But according to Otoe County Sheriff Caudill, the changes of the building code from 1988 to 2021 could be why Otoe County jail is not ADA-compliant. At the time of construction, Otoe Jail’s capacity was set at twenty-one inmates. Its average incarceration rate was four inmates. Currently, the facility holds eighteen inmates on average. The highest number of inmates ever held here at one particular time was twenty-eight. To mitigate threat issues occasioned by high inmate numbers, the Otoe County Sheriff’s office transfers excess inmates to neighboring jails as they await sentencing. Inmates are not held at this jail for more than a year. Transferring excess inmates ensures there is no overcrowding, usually caused by the high number of bookings made daily and as a result of changes in jail standards. After threat assessment, the jail considers housing some inmates in the same cells as a security threat. The Otoe County Jail has a jail administrator who is the head, 16 correctional officers, staff supervisors, assistant jail administrator, and a jail program assistant.

Jail Facilities and Programs

The correctional facility has a well-equipped hospital with medical attendants, a specialist, and medical officers. Prisoners incarcerated at the Otoe County Jail can acquire essential training and get a GED. Inmates held as a result of drugs and substance use get professional counseling sessions. There are also reintegrations programs to aid inmates to get back to society with ease.