CLEVELAND — As controversy continues to surround the Cuyahoga County Jail, its warden has announced his resignation on Thursday.
Gregory Croucher tendered his resignation after only eight months on the job. He was hired on August 5, 2019.
In a letter to Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish, Croucher cited personal reasons for his decision to resign.
"I thank you for the opportunity to serve in this capacity for the last 8 months," Croucher wrote. "I'm proud of the progress and accomplishments that have been achieved during that time."
You can read Croucher's letter here.
The county has not named a temporary replacement or announced its plans for a search as of yet.
Croucher's resignation comes as officials in Ohio’s largest counties, fearing coronavirus spreading in their jails, have been taking steps to reduce inmate populations by releasing nonviolent offenders, ordering police to issue citations instead of making arrests, and striking plea deals to resolve cases quickly.
Those efforts have been most dramatic at the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center in Cleveland, where the jail population dropped from nearly 2,000 inmates to under 1,300 during a single week in March.
The jail, which was cited in a U.S. Marshals Service report in late 2018 for inhumane conditions, housed as many as 2,400 inmates last year.
Administrators have also been accused of using excessive force against prisoners. Several have pleaded guilty.
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