In the next few days, temperatures are expected to soar in the Phoenix area and Sheriff Joe Arpaio is planning to cool things off for the inmates in Tent City Jail. He has ordered that ice water soaked towels and cold Gatorade be distributed to inmates as a form of relief.
Weather forecasters are calling for air temperatures to reach near 120 degrees during the course of the next few days. Recorded temperatures inside a tent in the yard of Tent City in these kinds of conditions have reached 137 degrees.
“People should know that there has never been an inmate that has suffered a serious health problem related to the heat in the tents,” said Arpaio. “I am going to make sure that nothing changes that record this year.”
The Tent City incarceration facility, that can hold up to 2000 prisoners, is often toured by presidential candidates and visiting foreign dignitaries. Sheriff Arpaio initiated Tent City soon after he took office as Maricopa County Sheriff in 1993 by utilizing Korean War tents. Tent City will celebrate its 23rd anniversary on August 3, 2016.
Sheriff Arpaio has received criticism for housing convicted inmates in the hot tents during the summer months, but the Sheriff has always maintained our servicemen and women serving in Iraq are living in tents while temperatures reach 117-degrees outside.