Hennepin County Board votes to temporarily board inmates at Dakota County Jail

Officials plan to relocate some Hennepin County inmates to Dakota County amid concerns about overcrowding at the jail in downtown Minneapolis.

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted on the measure at their meeting Tuesday afternoon. The agreement is set to last through the end of 2026 at a maximum cost of $560,000.

Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS last week the adult detention center is trying to offload 180 inmates to meet its operational capacity of 755 inmates. Witt said Hennepin County had already reached agreements with Wright and Scott counties and that other jails in the metro were under consideration.

County Administrator David Hough recommended the agreement for approval, and it passed unanimously as a consent agenda item.