Fulton County Sheriff Warns City Council Ending Jail Lease Will Lead to More Deaths and Violence

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Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat warned Atlanta City Council members that ending the lease for housing county inmates at the Atlanta City Detention Center could lead to increased violence and deaths due to overcrowding at the already dangerous Fulton County Jail. He highlighted the facility's severe issues, including chronic understaffing and deteriorating conditions, while advocating for the continuation of the lease to prevent further crises. Activists, however, urged the council to terminate the lease, suggesting alternatives to reduce the jail population and expressing concerns about the potential misuse of the city jail for detaining the unhoused.