Jordan Beck | Daily Press Sgt. Jeff Hansen of the Delta County Sheriff’s Office stands in a sally port at the Delta County Correctional Facility recently. About a year after it began operating, problems at the facility have been few and far between.

ESCANABA — About a year after it began operating, problems at the Delta County Correctional Facility have been few and far between — even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been going very good — probably much smoother than expected,” Delta County Sheriff Ed Oswald said.

The county announced the opening of the correctional facility on June 17, 2019. A few days earlier, more than 100 individuals had been moved from the old Delta County Correctional Facility to the new facility over the course of about 14 hours.

Since then, no major problems have arisen at the correctional facility. The most significant issue there has been the fact that long-time staff members needed some time to adjust to the new facility’s capabilities.

“Some of us, like myself, spent two decades working in the old jail,” Sgt. Jeff Hansen of the Delta County Sheriff’s Office said.

The facility has a maximum capacity of 154 people. As of last week, its population was fluctuating between 80 and 90 inmates.

“We’re operating at about half-capacity — 50 to 60 percent on average, right now,” Hansen said.

According to Hansen, this was the result of discretionary decision-making by police and courts and an executive order from Governor Gretchen Whitmer requiring low-risk, non-violent offenders to be kept out of correctional facilities.

So far, no inmates or officers at the correctional facility have tested positive for COVID-19. Hansen said the facility’s layout has allowed jail staff to effectively respond to the pandemic.

Currently, the correctional facility is using a layered quarantine system. In this system, inmates stay in “internal quarantine” for 14 days. There, they are monitored and given a medical examination before being moved to “medium quarantine” for another week.

“After that, they get to go into general population,” Hansen said.

Inmate programming at the correctional facility has been paused as a result of the pandemic.

“Prior to the pandemic, we were able to implement GED programs,” Hansen said.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous programs were also being offered, and inmates were able to meet with pastors and priests.

Hansen said the facility has been unable to continue this programming under Michigan’s current restrictions. The programs will return when restrictions are lifted.

Looking further ahead, the correctional facility plans to enhance its programming options.

“We would like to expand those offerings so that more inmates can participate and benefit from that,” Hansen said.

The facility also hopes to introduce counseling opportunities and to work with the sobriety court on employment opportunities.