Dallam-Hartley County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Dallam-Hartley County jail, in Dalhart, Texas, failed a recent inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”).  TCJS inspectors inspected the jail on September 24, 2020.

It is important that Texas jails be prepared to handle emergency situations regarding inmates.  However, TCJS inspectors found that the Dallam-Hartley County jail violated a jail standard found in Section 263,  .41, of Texas minimum jail standards. 

That standard requires that staff be trained for emergency situations, such training being provided immediately upon employment and no less than each calendar quarter.  This training is for all jail personnel, and it includes fire, emergency, evacuation drills, and location and use of equipment.  Inspectors noted a deficiency from the 2019 annual inspection of the Dallam-Hartley County jail, and that the deficiency still existed.  All Dallam-Hartley jail staff were not trained in life safety and emergency procedures for the fourth quarter of 2019.  Hopefully, the Dallam-Hartley County jail will bring itself into compliance with bare minimum jail standards.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.