The Riley County Jail has been operating close to its maximum capacity for several years, and this year has exceeded its population limit, with the average daily population increasing by 12% to 15% since 2019.
Riley County Police Department Lt. Jason Deehr told the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board Monday that while the jail’s bed count for inmates is 147, its actual operational capacity according to the jail’s classification is 120. Deehr presented a graph showing the average daily population for 2025 as about 125 inmates.
Though RCPD Director Brian Peete told the board Riley County enjoys a low crime rate and Maj. Brad Jager said crime is trending down, Deehr said the jail’s population trend is “exceeding national standards by far.”
