FORT PAYNE, Ala. — The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Administrative Office and Detention Center are to be named in honor of former Sheriff Cecil Reed and former Commission President Charles Bell.
The two were instrumental in building the new facility. The process started back in 2001, when Sheriff Reed approached DeKalb County Commission President Charles Bell about needing a new facility. President Bell worked with Sheriff Reed closely on getting the process started.
Before the new facility was built, inmates and administrative offices were housed in the annex at the DeKalb County Courthouse. The facility had become cramped with the increasing number of inmates and staff. The jail in the annex was designed to hold only 40 – 50 inmates.
President Bell, who had been elected as Commission President in 1998 and worked to get the new facility started until he passed away while still in office in 2001.
The construction would be completed and the new facility would be opened in 2006. It was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office would move to Jordan Road where we are located today. The new detention center is designed to house 293 inmates.
The measure to rename the facilities will be brought up at the next meeting of the DeKalb County Commission. This week, Sheriff Reed celebrated his 80th Birthday!
DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden said: “It’s an honor to name our detention center and administrative offices after these two great men. The modern facilities we enjoy today are a direct result of their forward thinking and vision.”
“While a big part of our administration is to strive to make DeKalb County’s future brighter, it’s just as important to always show appreciation for the hard work done in the past to help get us to where we are today,” he said.
“God Bless!” Concluded Sheriff Welden.
