STATESVILLE, N.C. -- It's tight corridors inside the Iredell County Detention Center.

• There are 26 inmates sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags
• The detention center houses 200 inmates
• The new addition to the detention center is expected to open in May

“We do have an overcrowding issue in our jail,” says Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell.

There are 26 inmates sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags because there isn't enough space for beds. The detention center in Statesville houses 200 inmates and officials say they are at the max. It's why they pay to house dozens of inmates out of the county.

They say the lack of space has caused a lack of respect. Just this month, two officers were injured in an altercation with an inmate. A few months ago three inmates were charged with sparking a jail house fight that injured four guards. The sheriff says one of the inmates hit an officer who was escorting him to his cell.

Jail officials say last year there were around 40 assaults on officers.

“Detention officers and correction officers in our prison are working with some of the most dangerous people in a small area,” Campbell said.

Campbell is counting the days before a new jail expansion opens next door. It will add 300 new beds, and it will mean the sheriff's office won't have to house inmates in other counties. Pods inside the new jail will also go down to two inmates versus the crowds they have now.

“The biggest thing will be security measures. It is built with a lot of officer safety in mind. Protecting, and making sure we keep inmates incarcerated,” Campbell said.

The new addition to the detention center is expected to open in May.