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Ash Street Jail Overwhelmed | New Bedford News
Ash Street Jail’s refusal rate has skyrocketed from 32 in 2022 to 135 in 2025, turning away arrestees for medical emergencies, mental health crises, and unmet medication needs — stranding police officers in the field for hours or overnight. Sheriff Paul Heroux defends the stricter screenings as a liability shield, but police chiefs argue the jail’s trained staff is exactly where these vulnerable individuals belong. With no formal agreement in place, decisions are made case by case, sparking tension. A potential fix? Moving regional lockups to Dartmouth House of Correction’s better-equipped…
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