History & Mission of the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center

The Walter J. Roush Juvenile Detention: 1973 to 2019

The first Juvenile Detention Center in Allen County, Ohio was dedicated The Walter J. Roush Rehabilitation Wing on April 6, 1975 as a 33 bed secure detention and residential treatment facility in memory of the late Walter J. Roush, who was born February 21, 1927 in Lima, Ohio. On October 13, 2011 the facility was rededicated the “Walter J. Roush Juvenile Detention Center.” Mr. Roush graduated from Lima Central High School; attended Ohio Northern University for three years in the field of Education; served seventeen years at Baldwin Lima Hamilton as a Sales Product Supervisor; and, was veteran of the United States Navy, having served two years in the South Pacific. Mr. Roush came to the Juvenile Court of Allen County, Ohio as a Probation Officer on February 17, 1964 and was subsequently made Chief Probation Officer under the late Judge Paul J. Rockey, serving in that capacity through the remainder of his years with the Court until his death on December 30, 1968. Mr. Roush was the privileged husband of Eleanor L. Casey and proud father of two children, Brad and Bretta. Recognized as a leader in the community for his untiring efforts in counseling, advising, and working with the youth of the community he became know as a “Friend of the Boy.” Mr. Roush believed in young people, lived with young people, and knew the young people of his day.

The Walter J. Roush Juvenile Detention Center operated under the auspices of the Juvenile Division of the Allen County Court of Common Pleas. The facility was part of the David 0. Steiner Juvenile Services Center located on 4.1 acres at 1000 Wardhill Avenue in Shawnee Township, Lima; Allen County, Ohio. The Treatment/Detention Center provided sleeping facilities, shower facilities, indoor/outdoor recreational/leisure areas, an educational classroom, administrative offices, and treatment/counseling facilities. The rated capacity was 26 youth in two wings, 17 Detention beds and 9 Treatment beds in a one-story brick and concrete structure constructed in 1973 and opened in 1974.

The Allen County Juvenile Detention Center: 2019 to Present

Construction began on the current 25 bed facility located at 3050 N. Cole Street in Lima, Allen County, Ohio on April 23, 2018 and on August 28, 2019 the facility was dedicated as the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center.

Constructed by the Peterson Construction Company in partnership between the Allen County Juvenile Court and the Allen County Board of Commissioners; in recognition that at times, for purposes of providing a means by which to ensure public safety, it is sometimes necessary to separate youthful offenders from the community and that when doing so, given the juvenile justice system does not deal with fully developed adults, keeping the child in a local facility provides the best opportunity for family engagement, support, and successful rehabilitation. With this facility the Juvenile Division of the Allen County Common Pleas Court has been given the means by which to provide meaningful interventions, structured programming, and quality educational opportunities in a holistic, sanitary, safe, and secure environment and thus is better enabled to reach its goal of successfully returning the children placed in its care to the Lima-Allen County community as both productive and contributing citizens.

The Hon. Glenn H. Derryberry, Judge

Greg Sneary, Allen County Commissioner

Jay Begg, Allen County Commissioner

Cory Noonan, Allen County Commissioner

Todd Kohlrieser, Chief Magistrate

Berlin Carroll, Court Administrator

Dana Sterling, Capital Projects Manager

Jason Patchet, Bldg. & Grounds Superintendent

Chad Overs, Director of Detention Services

Dr. Tom Hull, Clinical Director

Don Bonifas, Peterson C.C. Superintendent

Ryan Schuerman, Peterson C.C. Project Manager

Mission Statement

“In service to the citizens of Allen County, Ohio and under the auspices of the Juvenile Division of the Common Pleas Court; the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center is dedicated to providing a safe, secure, and sanitary facility for the care of delinquent children and to the delivery of helpful interventions and rehabilitative services delivered by a compassionate and respectful team of well trained professionals.”