"Absolutely unacceptable": Sheriff points to inside job in New Orleans jailbreak

The latest: Five inmates remain on the run as of Tuesday night.

• Officials believe most of them are still in New Orleans, NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said Tuesday.
• Officers caught the latest fugitive Tuesday in the city, according to Louisiana State Police.

The big picture: Hutson, who has been widely criticized after the jailbreak, told New Orleans City Council members Tuesday she takes "full accountability for this failure."

• "There were procedural failures and missed notifications," she said. "There were also intentional wrongdoings. This was a coordinated effort aided by individuals inside our own agency who made the choice to break the law."
• A maintenance worker at the Orleans Justice Center was arrested Tuesday and faces charges related to helping the inmates escape, according to the Louisiana attorney general's office. His bond was set at $1.1 million.
• "Several" other employees have been suspended without pay, Hutson said, and more disciplinary actions are possible as the investigation unfolds.

What she's saying: "We are learning from the failures that occurred ... [and] putting a plan in place to deal with those known threats and known security issues because ... this is absolutely unacceptable," she said.

Yes, but: The meeting turned contentious when Hutson and OPSO leadership asked for funding to upgrade the jail.

• "The law is clear: The sheriff runs it, the council pays," Hutson said to audible gasps inside council chambers.
• Council president JP Morrell pushed back, saying OPSO has a lack of transparency with financials.
• "All we want, truly, is to know how you are spending our money," Morrell said.

Friction point: Hutson and her leadership told the council the jail needs $13 million in "urgent infrastructure and security enhancements."

• "The building has to be fixed ... and we need that now," Hutson said.
• "You know what needs to be fixed? What you can fix? Is somebody walking around ... to go make sure 10 people aren't sneaking through a hole," Morrell retorted.
• Proposed improvements include razor wire, improved fences, doors and new locks.

Flashback: The Orleans Justice Center opened in 2015 as a replacement to the Orleans Parish Prison, which was plagued for years with infrastructure issues, overcrowding and reports of inhumane conditions.

• The parish is in the process of building a $109 million mental health jail next door.
• OPSO has been under federal oversight via a consent decree since 2013.

What we're watching: A team from the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections arrived yesterday to start an audit of the jail, per department spokesperson Tiffany Dickerson.

• They'll be looking for vulnerabilities in jail operations, she says.
• The report will be delivered to Gov. Jeff Landry as early as next week, she tells Axios.

Zoom out: The biggest problem — and the hardest one to solve — is overcrowding at the jail.

• A city ordinance caps the inmates at 1,250 inmates, but Hutson says it has about 1,400.
• However, they can realistically only handle 500 to 800 inmates with their current staffing levels, said Jeworski "Jay" Mallett, OPSO's deputy chief of corrections.
• State Attorney General Liz Murrill was in town Tuesday and said one of her tasks as part of the state's investigation is looking into ways to reduce the jail population.

Between the lines: Hutson is up for reelection this fall.

• On Tuesday afternoon, she said she was temporarily suspending her campaign so she could focus on public safety instead of politics.
• She faces several challengers, including former interim NOPD Chief Michelle Woodfork.

What's next: The manhunt continues, with more than 200 officers involved.

• Authorities are offering a $20,000 reward per apprehended inmate.
• State and local leaders also say they will be looking into more options for securing the jail.

Chelsea Brasted contributed to this story.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect Hutson's campaign status and the capture of a fifth escapee.