Jail Wagon Pilot Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Jail Wagon Pilot Program was initiated as a way to maximize the amount of time deputy sheriffs are available for patrol functions. An internal analysis performed prior to the Pilot Program found that arresting officers spent an average of 3.8 hours transporting defendants and booking them into the jail system. Every minute spent transporting and booking defendants is one less minute that deputies are available to respond to calls for service. In July, 2012, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office temporarily reassigned two vans and a handful of staff to operate shuttles from distant areas of the County to the jail system’s central intake facility located in downtown Phoenix. Shuttles run 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and essentially free deputies from all transportation and booking duties. Over a fourteen month period, bookings handled by the Jail Wagons totaled 5,659 and averaged over 400 per month. Total deputy hours returned to patrol functions were 21,504.