Today is Thursday March 28, 2024
ktbb logo


First Inmates Housed Out of County in Several Months

Posted/updated on: June 3, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Print Friendly, PDF & Email


thumb_Larry-SmithTYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office reported during Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting that it has become necessary to house nine county inmates outside Smith County. Last week, the Sheriff’s Office began housing 96 female inmates in the newly opened 384-bed facility in downtown Tyler. In order to meet the detention officer to inmate ratio required by the Texas State Jail Commission of 1 to 48, the personnel managing those inmates had to be moved with the inmates, according to a news release from Sheriff Smith.

Sheriff Smith and Jail Administrator Deal Folmar say they have worked at great lengths with the Texas State Jail Commission to determine proper staffing once the new addition to the jail was available for occupation. Sheriff Smith says he requested the State Jail Commission conduct an analysis, specific to the Smith County Jail, which would provide the proper number of detention officers to safely and securely operate both Smith County Jail facilities. The sheriff says an analysis conducted by the Texas State Jail Commission and personnel required to operate the new jail facility was discussed in detail at the budget hearings last fiscal year.

Sheriff Smith said once the new jail facility was available for occupation, 13 new detention officers were required to operate it to remain status quo with the existing facility. Smith says the jail is understaffed with both male and female detention officers. Texas Commission on Jail Standards permits female detention officers to supervise male inmates, but does not allow male detention officers to supervise female inmates.

Finally, says the sheriff, officials must now consider how to bring inmates back to the Smith County Jail and not have to ship them to another county for housing when the 384 new beds are available locally. “Frankly,” says Smith, “we can’t accomplish that task without hiring additional jail detention officers. We have nine open positions at this time; however, due to the turnover rate for detention officers, that is consistent not only in Smith County but in many other parts of the state.”



News Partner
Advertisement
Advertisement Advertisement

 
Advertisement
Advertisement

© 1999 - 2024 Copyright ATW Media, LLC