DETENTION CENTER TO OPEN
The old Milan State Prison will soon open as a detention center creating 70 new jobs in Milan. Pictured above (l-r) are Georgia State Representative Jimmy Pruett, Milan City Council member Freddie Dorris, Jr., Milan City Council member Inez Douglas, Michael Croft, Milan Mayor Jimmy Kirkland, Milan City Council member Glenda Taylor, Telfair County Chamber of Commerce President Paula Rogers, Milan City Council member Crickett Williamson, Milan City Council member Chad Puckett and Donald Pate with Statewide Engineering. (Photo by Misty Tompkins)
Milan Detention Center to open in December
Milan Mayor Jimmy Kirkland and members of the city council are pleased to announce the leasing of the property formally known as the Milan State Prison to Michael Croft Enterprises, Inc. Michael Croft, owner, plans to open the Milan Detention Center. This facility will be very beneficial to the city in creating approximately 70 new jobs that were lost when the Department of Corrections closed last December. Mayor Kirkland stated, “We are looking forward to a great working relationship between the city and Mr. Croft.”
With over 28 years of law enforcement experience in the State of Georgia, Michael Croft has a perfect understanding of the needs, challenges and operations of a detention center. He had a vision that a jail management company could offer more than just today’s standards, hence the birth of Michael Croft Enterprises, Inc. (MCE) in June of 2003.
The MCE management team consists of professional men and women with extensive law enforcement, corrections and administration experience in both the government and private sector. There is over 80 years of combined knowledge in the business. Time and time again the MCE team has been put to the test and passed with flying colors with its ability to operate and manage a detention center the correct way.
In January of 2009 Michael Croft was contacted by Milan Mayor Jimmy Kirkland in hopes that something could be done to re-open the Milan State Prison. The mayor and a majority of the council members traveled to Ocilla to visit with Croft and his staff in an attempt to gain knowledge as to what MCE was all about and to see first hand how a detention center was operated when it was done in the correct manner.
Croft and his staff have operated the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla successfully for the past five years. The facility in Irwin County was in the same state of limbo as Milan, as it was sitting empty, not providing any service or much needed jobs for the community. Croft began the monumental task and brought the facility to life in just 45 days. After two years of operating at 689 beds, Croft began the task of adding 512 more beds, a new kitchen, infirmary and intake area. Today, the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla is the largest employer in the county other than the school system.
Once the City of Milan had secured the deeds to the prison from the State of Georgia, the city advertised the property for sale and MCE submitted a bid to lease the property for two years with a contract to purchase at the end of the two years. Croft’s bid was opened and announced in an open meeting of the mayor and council as the winner. An agreement was submitted and adopted unanimously by the mayor and city council for Michael Croft Enterprises, Inc. to lease and then own the property known as the Milan State Prison. The mayor and city council was notified by Croft that the facility would be named Milan Detention Center.
On Monday, September 28, 2009 Croft and staff members began work at the property to bring the facility back to life. It is expected to take a couple of months to bring the facility out of mothballs and Croft plans on having it ready to receive detainees by December 1, 2009.
“This campus will eventually house some 500 mostly federal detainees and is expected to employ some 70 officers with additional support staff,” stated Michael Croft.
Croft further stated, “We have a plan in place that the Milan Detention Center will be a model for other to set their standards by, just as others have on projects that MCE has been involved in.”
The MCE management team consists of professional men and women with extensive law enforcement, corrections and administration experience in both the government and private sector. There is over 80 years of combined knowledge in the business. Time and time again the MCE team has been put to the test and passed with flying colors with its ability to operate and manage a detention center the correct way.
In January of 2009 Michael Croft was contacted by Milan Mayor Jimmy Kirkland in hopes that something could be done to re-open the Milan State Prison. The mayor and a majority of the council members traveled to Ocilla to visit with Croft and his staff in an attempt to gain knowledge as to what MCE was all about and to see first hand how a detention center was operated when it was done in the correct manner.
Croft and his staff have operated the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla successfully for the past five years. The facility in Irwin County was in the same state of limbo as Milan, as it was sitting empty, not providing any service or much needed jobs for the community. Croft began the monumental task and brought the facility to life in just 45 days. After two years of operating at 689 beds, Croft began the task of adding 512 more beds, a new kitchen, infirmary and intake area. Today, the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla is the largest employer in the county other than the school system.
Once the City of Milan had secured the deeds to the prison from the State of Georgia, the city advertised the property for sale and MCE submitted a bid to lease the property for two years with a contract to purchase at the end of the two years. Croft’s bid was opened and announced in an open meeting of the mayor and council as the winner. An agreement was submitted and adopted unanimously by the mayor and city council for Michael Croft Enterprises, Inc. to lease and then own the property known as the Milan State Prison. The mayor and city council was notified by Croft that the facility would be named Milan Detention Center.
On Monday, September 28, 2009 Croft and staff members began work at the property to bring the facility back to life. It is expected to take a couple of months to bring the facility out of mothballs and Croft plans on having it ready to receive detainees by December 1, 2009.
“This campus will eventually house some 500 mostly federal detainees and is expected to employ some 70 officers with additional support staff,” stated Michael Croft.
Croft further stated, “We have a plan in place that the Milan Detention Center will be a model for other to set their standards by, just as others have on projects that MCE has been involved in.”
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