The Alpena County Jail, located in Alpena, Michigan, serves as the largest correctional facility in Alpena County. Situated on 11 acres in the metropolitan area, the jail has been operational since its construction in 1937. Visitors can find the facility at 320 Johnson Street, Alpena, MI, 49707, and access official information on the jail’s website. With a capacity of 198 beds, the Alpena County Jail primarily houses pre-trial detainees. However, it also offers reintegration programs for male convicted offenders, aiming to support their successful transition back into society.
Operating under minimum security measures, the Alpena County Jail plays a crucial role in maintaining public safety within the Alpena community and Alpena County. The facility sees an average of 48 bookings per month and is supervised by a dedicated team of 44 staff members. In addition to its core correctional functions, the jail engages over 99 prisoners annually in various in-house work programs. These programs involve tasks such as kitchen duties, laundry services, and other operational activities. Furthermore, the Alpena County Jail staff oversees the operation of the Alpena County Work Leave Center (WFC), which is conveniently located just a traffic light away from the prison.
With its comprehensive approach to inmate management and community integration, the Alpena County Jail serves as a vital institution in Alpena County, Michigan. Through its various programs and services, the facility strives to facilitate the rehabilitation and successful reintegration of offenders while maintaining a secure environment for both inmates and the surrounding community.
Visitation policies at the facility ensure that inmates can maintain connections with their loved ones while adhering to certain guidelines. Each inmate is granted one remote visit per day and one onsite visit per week. It is essential for visitors to dress appropriately, as revealing or provocative attire is not permitted. Onsite visitors must wear shirts and shoes for the visitation.
To gain access for inmate visitation, all visitors must present valid state or government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license, foreign ID, or passport. Onsite video visitation is available at no cost and lasts for a duration of 25 minutes. It is crucial to adhere to the rules of non-contact visitation during video visits. Any inappropriate behavior or use of offensive language may result in the loss of visitation privileges for both the visitor and the inmate.
Visitation sign-up operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and visitors are encouraged to reserve their visitation time online. Visitors under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult, who is responsible for monitoring them throughout the visit. Personal belongings, apart from the required picture ID and/or keys, are generally not allowed in the visitation area unless specified otherwise by the jail. Visitors may be subjected to a pat-down search based on jail policies, and refusal to comply with the search will result in denial of entry.
Certain rules and regulations apply to maintain a safe and respectful visitation environment. Smoking, food, drugs, and drinks are strictly prohibited in the visitation areas. Contact visits with inmates are not permitted, and any disruptive or inappropriate behavior by a visitor can lead to termination of visitation privileges. It is important to note that all visitations, whether onsite or remote, are recorded and subject to monitoring. By engaging in a visitation, visitors consent to the recording.
Inmates at the jail are required to settle all booking and warrant fees before utilizing their funds for commissary purchases. The jail provides a commissary where inmates can order personal supplies, food items, and other necessities. Inmates can use money from their personal accounts to make these purchases. Corrections staff can provide a list of available items and instructions for ordering.
Once all booking and warrant fees are paid in full, the jail deducts 25% from the inmate’s account to reimburse the County for housing, medical, dental, or any other applicable fees incurred during the inmate’s incarceration. There is a weekly limit of $150 on commissary purchases.
Money orders can be sent via mail to the inmate for deposit into their account. Additionally, a kiosk machine is available in the jail lobby, allowing individuals to add money to the inmate’s account using a credit/debit card or cash. However, there is a $3 transaction fee for cash deposits and a $3.00 or 10% charge for credit/debit transactions. Deposits can also be made online at www.jailatm.com, where funds can be added to an inmate’s account or used for posting bond.
The inmate trust fund serves as a repository for inmate money, and there is no limit to the amount of money an inmate can receive into their commissary account. However, funds from one inmate’s account cannot be transferred to another inmate’s account. For inmate deposits and related services, Combined Public Communications at https://inmatesales.com or 877-998-5678 and Jail ATM at https://deposits.jailatm.com/webdeposits/default.aspx can be contacted.
Personal mail sent to inmates in the jail refers to any mail that is not from an inmate’s attorney of record. It’s important to note that inmates do not have an expectation of privacy for any personal mail. All inmate mail is processed through the United States Postal Service.
It is not permissible to receive mail from another inmate or another correctional facility. Upon arrival, all incoming mail is carefully opened and inspected to ensure that no prohibited items are being sent into the jail. Any mail containing threats, escape plans, or advocating violence, as well as any mail that violates jail policy, will be censored. Such mail may be referred to a Deputy or Sheriff for further evaluation and potential prosecution.
Letters can be sent to inmates on a daily basis by addressing them to the inmate along with the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office address. It is not necessary to include an inmate number. However, letters without a return address will not be accepted and will be discarded upon receipt. The mailing address for sending letters to inmates is as follows:
Inmate Name
Alpena County Sheriff’s Office
4900 M32 W Alpena, MI 49707
Inmates at the facility are authorized to make phone calls to a pre-approved list of contacts, primarily consisting of friends and family members. These calls can be made either through a third-party call services provider, where the inmate creates and funds an account for direct calls, or via a collect call arrangement. In the case of collect calls, the recipient of the call is responsible for covering the call charges.
The Jail Division of the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office is currently staffed with nine full-time deputies. Each deputy has obtained the necessary certification from the State of Michigan through the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) program. Newly hired deputies receive practical training under the guidance of experienced senior agents, familiarizing them with the policies and procedures specific to the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office and its jail operations. To comply with Missouri County regulations, every deputy is required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of annual training approved by POST.
The primary mission of the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office is to protect the lives and property of the county residents. With a commitment to honor and integrity, the office carries out law enforcement and custodial duties, ensuring the trust placed in them by the public. The professional workforce of the office is highly trained and competent, upholding the highest standards of professionalism. Their goal is to administer the law impartially, safeguard civil liberties, and preserve public safety, all while maintaining unity of purpose and acting as responsible custodians of the public’s trust.
County Sheriff: Steven J. Kieliszewski
Address: 320 Johnson Street, Alpena, Michigan, 49707
Telephone: 989-354-9836
Alpena, a city located in Michigan, serves as the county seat of Alpena County and is the sole city within the county. According to the 2020 census, its population stands at 10,197, making it the third most populous city in Northern Michigan after Traverse City and Cadillac. Alpena is situated at the head of Thunder Bay, which is a bay of Lake Huron. The area is renowned for the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, an underwater preserve safeguarding approximately 116 historically significant shipwrecks. As the third-largest city on Lake Huron in the United States, it follows Bay City and Port Huron in size.
The region of Alpena has been traditionally inhabited by the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Native American tribes, who have a strong presence in the Great Lakes area, including Michigan. Alpena County was originally established in 1840 as Anamickee County, later changing its name to Alpena in 1843. The term “Alpena” was a constructed word coined by Henry Schoolcraft, resembling a Native American term and loosely translating to “a good partridge country.” The renaming of numerous Michigan counties was a significant undertaking during that period.
The first European settler in the present-day Alpena area was W.F. Cullings, a fisherman, who arrived in 1835. In 1856, George W. Fletcher and three others from Detroit laid out a village called Fremont, named after John C. Frémont. The village underwent subsequent name changes, briefly becoming Thunder Bay in 1857 before adopting the name Alpena in 1871. On March 29, 1871, Alpena was officially incorporated as a city by the Michigan State Legislature. The city faced significant challenges in its early years, including the devastating Great Michigan Fire of 1871, which consumed most of the city. Alpena was struck by additional major fires in 1872 and 1888, causing extensive damage. In the early 1910s, an unsuccessful effort led by the Alpena Motor Car Company aimed to transform the city into an “Automobile City” to compete with Detroit’s automobile industry.
Alpena County Jail Inmate Search
Alpena County Jail
320 Johnson Street, Alpena, MI, 49707
989-354-9830
https://www.alpenacounty.org/165/Sheriff