ATLANTA - Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat says conditions inside the Rice Street Jail are "beyond an emergency" and that county leaders have ignored his repeated warnings about the need for more staff and resources.

What they're saying:

"For years, I’ve said Fulton County is in an emergency situation," Labat said. "You can continue to be deliberately indifferent about what we need and try and block what we need, but ultimately lives are in our hands."

The sheriff said staff retention remains one of the jail’s biggest problems. He said nearly 300 employees have left this year, most for jobs with other agencies.

Labat said the problems at the jail reflect a larger breakdown across the criminal justice system. "There is a criminal justice failure," he said. "The judges need more res

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