Antelope County Jail Recognized For Excellence

Just over two years ago, Antelope County was blessed with a brand new Law Enforcement Center in Neligh. While it has been considered by many area departments to be one of the nicer facilities around, it has now been made official by the state.

“It’s honestly a bit suprising to tell you that, because we really haven’t been up and running that long,” said Sheriff Robert Moore. “I’m not for sure how many jails there are in the state of Nebraska, but there’s quite a few. To receive an honor in just the short time we’ve been open gives us all a pretty good sense that we are doing things right.”

The Antelope County Law Enforcement Center was honored this month with an Excellence in Facility Administration award by the Nebraska Jail Standards. More specifically, the award was presented to Sheriff Moore. However, Moore knows that without his excellent crew, the honors would not be possible.

“Although I received the award, that award is not possible without having an excellent group of people underneath me to carry out the duties of maintaining this facility and treating the inmates the way they should be tread,” he said.

Sheriff Moore was presented with the award on April 6 in Kearney at the annual Jail Standards banquet. 

The award is presented each year to a facility that shows excellence in maintaining a clean and proper facility for both inmates and staff. 

Jail Standards is a regulatory commision that oversees county jails across Nebraska, providing spot checks and ensuring jails remain in good condition.

Sheriff Moore complimented not only his staff for keeping the facility in such good condition, but also the willingness of the inmates to step up and help keep the jail in top condition.

The Antelope County Law Enforcement Center was built in 2015 after conditions quickly deteriorated in the old facility, then located at 205 East 6th Street in Neligh. Since it was opened, it has housed not only inmates, but also the 911 call center, all local law enforcement offices as well as inmates from other counties that don’t have the ability to house an individual as well.

Sheriff Moore was quick to point out that without the tax payers to help fund the new facility and the county officials to set the plan in motion, he and his team would not have such a great facility to earn awards for.

“Without the supervisors, we wouldn’t even have a new jail,” he said. “They had to make the motion and get it going.” 

“We needed a new facility in order to make this happen,” he continued. “That’s why I thank the tax payers and the supervisors for helping us get a building that we are able to administrate and do a good job in. It was really difficult to do it in the old one.”

While it is certainly unique that, of all the new facilities in the state, Antelope County’s facilities were considered the best, one will never catch Sheriff Moore taking credit for just how great they are.

​“I feel blessed and very honored to get this, but I know it’s not possible to  keep it up without all these people that help me,” he said.