Governor Hogan announced the immediate closure of the state-run and state-funded Baltimore City Male Detention Center at an afternoon press conference on Thursday July 30, 2015.

As reported in The Baltimore Sun:

The Republican governor said the Civil War-era jail — which is run by the state — could be torn down, and there are no plans to build a new facility. Baltimore’s jail population has dipped in recent years, making room elsewhere for the inmates from the detention center. The move is expected to save taxpayers $10 million to $15 million annually, he said.

“The Baltimore City Detention Center is a disgrace, and its conditions are horrendous,” Hogan said. “Ignoring it was irresponsible and one of the biggest failures of leadership in the history of the state of Maryland.”

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who was not consulted in the decision, said in a statement that she has “long had concerns about the condition” of the jail and would seek details from the Hogan administration about its plans.

…

The jail is part of a larger complex of corrections facilities just east of downtown Baltimore. The complex includes the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center and the Chesapeake Detention Facility, formerly known as Supermax. It also includes the women’s jail, which will remain open.

Hogan pledged that corrections officers would not lose their jobs and would be reassigned to other facilities.

For more information read the full article in The Baltimore Sun.

Additional Coverage:

Five Questions Answered about Baltimore Jail Closure (The Baltimore Sun)

Hogan Didn’t Consult Lawmakers Before Closing Jail (The Baltimore Sun)

Hogan Closing Scandal-Plagued Men’s Facility at Baltimore Jail Immediately (The Washington Post)