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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat plans to hold a town hall-style meeting this week to hear community concerns, including a proposal to stop accepting inmates facing some misdemeanor charges at the Fulton County Jail.

 It is an opportunity for us to go straight to the public and really have our community give their opinions about what this misdemeanor conversation looks like,  Labat said.

Labat said the discussion comes as the county looks for ways to reduce the jail's population.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Implementation of new Fulton County Jail misdemeanor policy pushed back

The Rice Street jail has struggled with overcrowding for years, a problem Labat said can create dangerous conditions inside the facility.

 Any time that we hover between 2,800 and 3,000 inmate residents, there are going to be situations,  Labat said.

Over the past several years, overcrowding has been linked to violent encounters and inmate deaths. The jail remains under a federal investigation focused on physical conditions, staffing and the treatment of inmates.

Labat has pushed for a new jail for years.

 We need a facility that the community at large can be proud of,  Labat said.

In April, Fulton County commissioners approved $1.3 billion to renovate the Rice Street facility and build a new space designed for detainees with mental health and behavioral issues.

Labat said that until those changes are made, the sheriff's office must balance safety inside the jail with the safety of the community outside it.

 While we house nearly 3,000 inmate residents, there is a potential to have 3,000 victims,  Labat said.  So, our job is to be considerate of not just our potential victims, but really provide care, custody for those that we serve, but also being a space where those that we protect have reassurance from their sheriff's office that we're doing absolutely the best we can. 

The sheriff stresses these would be low-level, nonviolent offenders who would not be booked into the jail.

But Labat wants to continue discussions with t

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