Erie County Holding Center

The Erie County Holding Center in Buffalo, New York is a pre-trial, maximum security detention facility that serves Erie County. Capable of housing 680 inmates, it is the second largest detention facility in New York State outside of New York City. Inmate "Over-flow" is housed at the Holding Center Annex at the Erie County Correctional Facility in Alden, New York. The Jail Management Division of the Erie County Sheriff's Office conducts regularly scheduled tours of the facility for high school and college student groups, police academy classes and groups of "At risk" teens.^[1] The ECHC is staffed by approximately 500 Deputies whom are sworn police officers. There are currently two operational k9 narcotics detection teams among them. The ECHC houses many high profile criminals and frequently has to deploy QET (quick entry team) to quell inmate disturbances and emergency situations.

Erie County Holding Center

Interactive map of Erie County Holding Center
Location	Buffalo, New York
Coordinates	42.885°N 78.879722°W / 42.885; -78.879722
Status	Operational
Security class	Maximum
Capacity	680
Opened	1938 (1938)
Managed by	Erie County Sheriff's Office
Street address	40 Delaware Avenue
City	Buffalo
County	Erie
State/province	NY
ZIP Code	14202
Country	US
Website	http://www2.erie.gov/sheriff/index.php?q=jail-management-division.html

Complaints

According to a professor at University at Buffalo Law School, "Erie County continues to operate the Holding Center with indifference to the basic medical needs of inmates."^[2]

The suicide rate at the Holding Center has brought it unwanted attention.^[3][4] The Erie County Prisoners Rights Coalition demonstrates in front of the Center each Wednesday.