October 16, 2025, by the Seward Folly Staff

The future of a local jail in Seward emerged as a campaign issue for candidates running for city office this year. Yet, as city officials point out, the absence of a jail in Seward is driven by two persistent problems: a shortage of qualified staff and insufficient funding from the State of Alaska.

Seward’s jail, located beneath City Hall, closed in 2023 after years of deferred maintenance left the facility unsafe. The old underground site suffered from frequent leaks and structural concerns. According to City Manager Kat Sorensen, bringing the jail up to modern standards would cost nearly $1 million, which is an expense that cannot be justified with a new police station already on the city’s infrastructure list.

Photos by Chief Tiner

But the most pressing challenge has been hiring. Operating a jail requires around-the-clock staffing, with at least four jailers on duty to ensure safety. By the time the jail closed, just two employees remained, and one soon resigned. “We simply couldn’t keep people,” Sorensen said. Spring Creek Correctional Center, a state prison in Seward, offers better pay and signing bonuses, drawing away trained staff as soon as they gain experience at the city jail.

Compounding the local hiring problem is the State of Alaska’s funding approach. Unlike most states, Alaska’s unified correctional system puts the responsibility for running local jails on the state government, not counties or municipalities. The state contracted with Seward to operate the jail, but funding was between $300,000 and $400,000 per year, falling far short of the roughly $800,000 it actually cost to staff and run the facility. Despite lobbying for more state support, the city has not secured additional funds. Sorensen described the state funding formula as “not adequate” for Seward’s needs.

Without a city jail, men arrested in Seward are now held at Spring Creek Correctional Center in separate holding cells. This arrangement satisfies city administration, though it means arrestees spend time in a high-security environment. There are no holding facilities for women or juveniles at Spring Creek, so detainees are transported to Wildwood Correctional Complex. According to Police Chief Butch Tiner, the time spent in custody, including transport, sometimes is less than 24 hours and costs the city about $500 per trip. The Department of Corrections covers the return transport to Seward.

Tiner noted that, since January 1, 2024, 35 women have been arrested in Seward. Thirteen were transported to Wildwood, while the rest were released with summons and future court dates. During the same period, 170 men were arrested, with about 30 percent sent to Spring Creek.

Looking ahead, city officials do not expect to see a local jail return. Sorensen said there are no plans to include a jail in the new police station project. Persistent hiring difficulties and unreliable state funding leave little hope for reviving the facility. For now, Seward’s arrest and detention process will continue to rely on regional and state correctional centers.