Lake County IL jail inmates to be transferred to McHenry County amid staffing crisis, sheriff says

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A staffing crisis at the Lake County, Illinois, jail means some inmates will be transferred to another facility.

Up to 150 inmates will be temporarily housed at the McHenry County jail. It's part of a one-year agreement between the two counties.

Staffing levels at Lake County jail are down nearly 40%, officials said.

Lake County Sheriff's Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said the shortage is due to retirements, medical leave, and other absences.

He said the shortage is putting staff and inmate safety at risk.

"We have correctional officers that have been forced to work double shifts multiple times a pay period," Covelli said. "So 16-hour days monitoring inmates, doing one of the most important task of the sheriffs office, that is a lot of burden to put on our staff."

Inmates will start moving next week as Lake County looks at ways to recruit and hire new jail staff.