Conversations around the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office’s finances continued Monday during a New Orleans City Council Criminal Justice meeting.
Sheriff Susan Hutson attended the meeting as council members work to get her agency on the BRASS system.
BRASS tracks funding for city departments.
Hutson spoke about the jail infrastructure improvements as well as funding she says she needs with city council members.
She also highlighted changes that have been made since the jailbreak in May.
Since the jailbreak, Hutson said here team has installed razor wire, made improvements to the locking system, and reinforced physical barriers.
Hutson claims that the BRASS system does not meet the operational or compliance needs of the sheriff’s office, but she said she was willing to work with council members to explore other options.
The council wants Hutson’s office to join BRASS to help with accountability over financing within the sheriff’s office.
Hutson said even with bond support, her office is facing a deficit when it comes to improving jail infrastructure.
Hutson said she has requested $18 million from city council members for capital projects.
Council members are seeking a mileage revenue list from OPSO to understand what is funded by the city and what additional support is needed from council members.
“If we could have a list of everything that y’all have that’s being covered by the mileage and we can see what the city portion was historically and why the mileage needs to be used to enhance what the city was already paying for,” said Council President JP Morrell.
Hutson said the council has always had access to their system, and that wont change with a new system.
“The city has always had access at our systems to look in it and still can and when we get our new system this old system does need to go, but when we get something new, the city will be able to get into that one as well,” said Hutson.
READ MORE:New Orleans Council continues discussions with sheriff on adding OPSO to Brass
