Jail Administrator's Welcome

As the Jail Administrator of the Bates County Law Enforcement Center it is my intent to fulfill our mission statement: Fairness, Integrity, Respect, Service, and Trust. F.I.R.S.T. in law enforcement is our goal. Through the hard work and dedication of our jail staff we strive to be fair to those held in our facility. We strive to carry out our duties with honesty and integrity. We will respect and command respect from those being held at the Bates County Law Enforcement Center. We promise to serve the Bates County community to ensure safety and peace of mind of the citizens. We will continue to work hard to earn the ongoing trust of the public we serve.

The entire staff: jailers, dispatchers, transport officers, and kitchen staff are the back bone of The Bates County Law Enforcement Center. The effort put forth daily by these individuals is to be commended and appreciated. It may be answering a 911 call, transporting an inmate to court, or serving one of three square meals a day, no matter the task each officer works diligently to complete their assigned duties and always go over and beyond what is required of them. It is my hope that each one of them understands my admiration and appreciation of their service and attitude.

The Bates County Law Enforcement Center was constructed in 2004 by a special tax issue passed by the citizens of Bates County and holds inmates for Bates County, The United States Marshall Service, surrounding city municipalities, and for all surrounding counties. Our facility will hold up to 100 inmates most of which are pre-trial or pre-sentence inmates. It is our responsibility to hold them, feed them, and keep them healthy. In addition we transport our inmates to both local and federal facilities for their court appearances. Inmates are served three balanced meals per day and receive a caloric intake in excess of 2000 calories a day.

As a fellow Bates County citizen it is my honor and pleasure for us to serve you and your family. I hope that all citizens of the Bates County area take pride in our facility and the service we provide to our community. With a team approach, rather a family approach we strive to do our very best to protect and serve. I thank you for your trust and pray blessings on our staff and on you the citizens.

Sincerely,

~ Major Jason A. Lawrence

Jail Administrator, Bates County Law Enforcement Center