Eds: UPDATES with comments from Corrections Department spokesman.

BERLIN, N.H. (AP) – City officials have asked the police chief to look into concerns that cost-cutting proposals to close the New Hampshire prison in Laconia will create safety issues at the state prison in Berlin.

Berlin prison nurse Carol Delisle told the city council Monday she worried the state would not increase staffing and programming at the prison to adequately accommodate the additional inmates who would be housed there with the closing of the Laconia prison, the Berlin Daily Sun reported. She said Berlin’s prison was built to handle 500 inmates and currently houses 620.

But Corrections Department spokesman Jeff Lyons said Wednesday the Berlin prison was designed for and has infrastructure to serve 1,000 inmates. The department is considering housing more than 100 prisoners in one of the gymnasiums at Berlin while new dormitory space is built. Lyons said the state fire marshal has approved the department’s safety and occupancy plans for the gym.

In addition, he said, the new dorm space would have sufficient staff and the department has not heard of any safety concerns among law enforcement officials.

AP-ES-04-08-09 1817EDT