County sheriff locks out inmates to control vandalism in cellblock

BANGOR — Under normal circumstances jail inmates are anxious to get out of their cells, but Thursday Penobscot County Jail prisoners were complaining because they couldn’t get into them.

Thursday afternoon Sheriff Edward Reynolds ordered that all inmates stay out of their cells during the day and remain in the prisoner lounge areas. The move allows guards to keep a closer eye on the prisoners and monitor their use of the toilets.

Toilets, and prisoners’ abuse of them, resulted in Reynolds’ decision, he said Thursday night.

“We’ve had an on-going problem of prisoners flushing things down the toilets such as towels, sheets and jail uniforms. My staff has been unable to solve this problem and it has become a real nuisance. I’ve ordered that the prisoners stay in the day rooms during the day until my staff can resolve this,” said Reynolds.

Some prisoners and their spouses contacted the Bangor Daily News Thursday and complained that there was a shortage of drinking water, that the toilets didn’t work and that the ventilation system had been shut down. Reynolds said Thursday night that the complaints were not valid. He said toilets were working, there was drinking water and the ventilation system had not been turned off.

Reynolds placed a great deal of the blame on his staff and their inability to account for the items in the possession of jail inmates. Apparently inmates have been able to get extra towels and sheets and have been using them to plug the toilets.

“I’m tired of having plumbers in here every day. This has become a nuisance and it’s getting costly. With the prisoners in the day room the guards have to unlock the bathroom door each time an inmate needs to use it,” said Reynolds.

Reynolds said he was tired of hearing excuses from his staff about its inability to keep an accurate record of items possessed by inmates. He did not indicate when the lockout order might be lifted.