Lawsuit prompts Fresno Co. jail to make changes

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A lawsuit has forced leaders at the Fresno County Sheriff's Office to make the jail lobby more accessible for those with disabilities.

Starting next Monday, the entrance to the main jail will undergo retrofitting.

During the renovation, there will not be a waiting room and those wanting to visit an inmate will have to take a number and wait outside.

Jail administrators say the remodel will also make it safer for officers who work in the jail.

Fresno County Sheriff's Captain, Steve McComas said, "I don't want to go into specifics about how we are upgrading but we are making improvements to upgrade security for the officers who work here."

Deputies say the security measures are not a direct result of the jail shooting in September of 2016 that critically injured two officers. However, they wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to add some safety features.

The improvements are estimated to take two to three months.