NEWPORT-In an effort to address jail overcrowding, certification and other issues, the Public Safety Committee of the Cocke County Legislative Body voted Tuesday to enter a County Corrections Partnership.

Bob Bass, detention facilities specialist and County Corrections Partnership coordinator with Tennessee Corrections Institute, addressed the committee about current jail issues and entering the partnership.

"We were founded in 1974," said Ball. "Originally, our mission was training. Then, around 1980, we started seeing jail lawsuits. The legislature then said 'you need two hats to wear' and broadened the scope of things we do.

"We don't do legal advice. We're compliance, we're not regulatory. TCI is risk management. We look at the facility and point out the challenges. We work as one committee to bring everything together. It's not a task force committee, it's education based.

For more details, please see the Thursday edition of the Newport Plain Talk.