Bureau County Jail's radio room getting $150,000 makeover

PRINCETON The the radio room in the Bureau County Jail is getting an upgrade, thanks to a $150,000 state grant.

Former Sheriff John Thompson had been working on the grant the last 3 years of his tenure. It will pay for a complete renovation; no taxpayer money will be spent, Bureau County Sheriff Jim Reed said.

Construction began Monday morning, and work is expected to be done around Feb. 15.

The room will be gutted and will get a new ceiling, flooring, and paint, as well as duct and electrical work. A temporary dispatch area has been set up in the basement of the jail in the meantime,

Reed said the remodel will make the room more operator-friendly.

Before, operators had to look over their shoulders constantly to see their screens, but now they all will be in front of them, stacked on top of one another at a 45 degree angle, making surveillance easier and the area safer, said Deputy Jim Shipp, who is overseeing construction management.

This is a total overhaul, Reed said. It was definitely in [need of] remodeling; it wasnt built right to begin with.

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Bureau County Jail's radio room getting $150,000 makeover