Buchanan County, MO – The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is asking the community for patience when attempting to schedule a visitation or meeting with inmates in the Buchanan County Jail as they are experiencing overcrowding.

According to a press release, at this time the jail population is at 248 inmates. The normal average for the jail population is between 170 and 200 inmates.

The Sheriff’s Department said it is happy to see enforcement levels are very high but adds the high number of inmates can be very tasking on the jail. High numbers of inmates can cause complex problems for the jail, such a shortage of food, bedding and clothing. The Sheriff’s Department said there are currently plans in place to combat the shortages.

The Department is contemplating temporarily extending visitation hours in the jail. The department is looking into their resources and will let the community know as soon as next week if they will be able to extend the visitation hours.