Bail & Jail Info: Aitkin County, Minnesota

Aitkin County, located in North Central Minnesota, is home to over 16,000 residents.  Its over 400 lakes attract anglers, boaters, and others who enjoy lake recreation, so that its population can triple in the summer months.  Its trails invite walkers, hikers, bikers, and ATV riders.  During the winter months, ice fishing and snowmobiling continue the outdoors tradition.

217 2nd St. NW, Room 185
Aitkin, MN 56431

Administration
218-927-7276

Health & Human Services
218-927-7200
800-328-3744

Highway Department
218-927-3741

Courts
218-927-7350

Sheriff's Department 
218-927-7435                           
888-900-2138

                                   
Emergency - 911

Aitkin County Sheriff: Scott Turner
Non-emergency: 218-927-7435
Toll free: 888-900-2138
Dispatch and Jail Fax: 218-927-6887
Sheriff Fax: 218-927-7359
Email: sheriff2@co.aitkin.mn.us

The Aitkin County Sheriff's Office is committed to safeguarding the lives and property of the citizens and visitors to all 1,828 square miles of Aitkin County.

The office provides this through the following services:

* 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point, dispatch and communications for all emergency services.
* A patrol division and criminal investigation unit for law enforcement.
* A boat and water unit to patrol more than 300 lakes and rivers in Aitkin County.
* A canine unit for contraband enforcement.
* A civil process and criminal warrants unit.
* A courtroom security unit.
* Associations with regional drug and gang task forces.
* A detention facility for housing persons in custody pending trial and after conviction and sentencing.
* Planning for large-scale disasters in the county.

Aitkin County Jail
Sheriff's Office Hours
Communications Center and Jail open 24 hours a day
Administration 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday

Sheriff: Scott Turner
Jail Administrator: Debra Hamilton
Assistant Jail Administrator: Jeremy Swensen

The Aitkin County Jail is an 89-bed facility housing men and women. 14 Corrections Officers provide a safe and humane detention facility for persons lawfully placed in our care. The facility holds people waiting for trial and people convicted of a crime who are sentenced. This facility has received a 100% inspection rating from the Minnesota Department of Corrections for the past 4 years.

The jail in its current configuration opened in 2002 as a remodel of the 1984 jail. The jail has both linear cellblocks and direction supervision type units.

Sentenced to Serve
The jail partners with Central Minnesota Community Corrections to provide the Sentenced-to-Serve program allowing offenders to shorten sentences or pay fines through community service.

Huber law (Work release) program
The Huber law allows non-violent sentenced offenders to remain employed while serving their sentence in jail. An offender is released to go to work and immediately returns to jail at the end of the workday. Offenders wishing to be placed on the Huber program must have it included in their sentence and have employment within 30 miles of the facility. To apply for the program, contact Karla White before you report to jail.

Pay to Stay
The jail offsets operational costs by charging offenders $20.00 per day to stay in the jail and through other fees assessed to relieve taxpayer burden. Offenders are given a payment plan and other options to pay their fees. Contact Jeremy Swenson with questions about the Pay to Stay program.

In addition, the jail does sell open beds to other counties to relieve their overcrowding on a space available basis.


Bail Bonds
A bail bond is the document that is presented to the court to secure the release of a defendant who is in custody, and to ensure the appearance of the defendant at all required court hearings. If you are in need of a bail bond agent, call 800.938.2245 or go to www.expertbail.com to find a trusted and professional bail agent.