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Located in the small historic town of Liberty, Missouri is the Clay County Detention Center which was the first phase building of a county-city government complex formed around a new civic plaza which ties into the existing commercial square and its historic county courthouse.

The facility is both an autonomous building with separate entrances and systems and also an integral part of the complex with second floor connections to the Justice Center providing direct access to courtrooms via security corridor and to the Public Safety Building providing direct access to Sheriff's Department and Emergency Management Center.

Organization of the facility separates function by floor to reduce inmate-staff circulation, improve operational efficiencies, and clearly define security zones. The first floor contains all support operations and an unfinished space for a future work-release area. Entrances to the building are separated by function to zone security. The booking desk with master control backup is centrally positioned to allow direct visual monitoring of all holding cells, medical, dress-out, elevators, service dock and sally port. Support services are delivered to inmates on second floor including visitors who move directly from reception / waiting to visitation area. 

The second floor contains podular remote indirect supervision housing and related daily activity areas including connection to new courts building. The 132 cells are composed in housing pods allowing 12 classifications plus administrative segregation units. Sixteen of the corner cells are enlarged for double bunking to increase capacity to 148 beds.

Corridors are subdivided into security compartments eliminating need for security vestibules at dayrooms. To reduce staff, three control stations are positioned with direct sightlines to all cell doors, corridors, program areas, visitation and elevators. In the evening, all controls are transferred to the central housing control post. A fourth control station visually supervises indoor and outdoor exercise as well as food galley operations. In addition to glass brick windows in each cell, clerestory windows above control areas allow natural light to virtually fill all housing areas including dayrooms, program rooms, and corridors to significantly improve environment and eliminate use of artificial lighting on typical days.

Expansion of the building is provided in three ways: (1) temporary bunking of 16 enlarged corner cells adds 16 beds; (2) completion of unfinished space for work release area adds 48 beds; and (3) construction of fourth building quadrant which ties into present circulation, security and operational systems adds 48 beds.