Runnels County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
The Runnels County jail, in Ballinger, Texas, recently failed an inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). The Runnels County jail is now listed as being non-compliant by the TCJS.
The TCJS inspector determined when reviewing life safety documentation that multiple Runnels County jail staff had failed to complete required quarterly training for the second quarter of 2022 and fourth quarter of 2021. The inspector also found that, at the time of inspection, the facility generator was unable to be tested due to a faulty transfer switch. Surprisingly, jail administration advised that the transfer switch had been inoperable since April 2021. Runnels County jail staff also advised that there was no maintenance contract in place to keep the generator maintained.
The TCJS inspector also determined, on perhaps a more serious note, that a log of positive returns identifying prisoners who were veterans had not been maintained for the previous 5 months. The law requires our jail staff across Texas to appropriately identify and treat veterans who happen to be arrested and incarcerated.
On a note that could have led to serious injury and/or death, the TCJS inspector determined, when reviewing restraint logs, that staff had exceeded the 15-minute observation checks by as little as one minute, and by as many as 25 minutes on multiple occasions. The TCJS inspector required Runnels County jail administration to conduct documented training with staff regarding the use of restraints and the importance of conducting rounds within the mandated 15-minute time frame. That training had to be conducted within the following 30 days.
On yet another very serious note, with the potential for serious injury or death resulting, when reviewing observation logs, the TCJS inspector determined that Runnels County jail staff exceeded the 30-minute observations in areas in which inmates who were known to be assaultive, potentially suicidal, or mentally ill, were kept. Those checks were exceeded by as little as one minute, and by as many as 45 minutes on multiple occasions. Runnels County administration advised that such likely occurred due to staffing levels. This was no excuse. Interestingly, when reviewing records, the TCJS inspector found that jail staff were sufficient to meet the required ratio of 1 officer to 48 inmates but were insufficient to perform other required functions within the facility. Areas which the inspector found to be affected by staffing during the inspection included food preparation in the kitchen, restraint checks, and observation checks. The TCJS inspector also determined that, when the facility was staffed with two members, staff could not keep up with required functions within the facility. Hopefully, no serious injury or death resulted in the Runnels County jail as a result of these deficiencies.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone