Sheriff to run Geiger unit

The Geiger Corrections Center will become a division of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, county commissioners unanimously decided Tuesday.

The minimum-security facility in old military barracks near Spokane International Airport currently is operated by the commissioners.

Tuesday’s transfer, subject to union negotiations, is a step toward construction of a new low- to medium-security jail for which voters may be asked to approve a bond measure in November 2008.

“I think the job of incarceration belongs to the sheriff,” County Commissioner Mark Richard said in June when the issue was previously discussed. “It’s best to put that in the hands of your law enforcement professional.”

At the time, sheriff’s officials told commissioners they were at loggerheads with Geiger managers over the issue of consolidation, but Geiger Director Leon Long denied there was any disagreement. Since then, Long has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation of allegations in a union statement that Long’s staff had no confidence in his leadership.

The union accused Long of incompetence and inappropriate conduct, including making crude sexual jokes in front of employees and requiring staff members to sing “Happy Birthday” to a female inmate.

Commissioners placed Long on administrative leave Aug. 27 and hired a Spokane attorney to investigate the allegations. The investigator gave commissioners a progress report last week, and another closed-door discussion was planned Tuesday.

Richard said Tuesday’s decision to place Geiger under Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich’s control had nothing to do with Long’s situation.

“You’re still going to need a director for the Geiger facility,” Richard said. “This is just going to make us more seamless in the way we work together.”

Richard said the proposed merger sparked “some resistance” from Geiger employees at first, but he believes those objections have been overcome. He said Long “unequivocally” supported consolidation before he was placed on leave.