The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) currently lists Runnels County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail twice on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was issued on July 19, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standards the jail was cited for in a jail inspection report issued on July 11, 2023. TCJS inspectors allege that the Ballinger, Texas, jail violated 7 minimum jail standards.

The address of Runnels County Jail is 200 S Hickory Hill Rd, Ballinger, TX 76821. The jail has a housing capacity of 87 inmates. An inspection report from August 2022 is still posted on the TCJS website. Details on alleged noncompliance follow.

Rule §263.41-Training and Drills

Runnels County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §263.41-Training and Drills, which is in the chapter on Life Safety Rules, Subchapter D-PLANS AND DRILLS FOR EMERGENCIES. Training of staff for emergency situations shall be provided immediately upon employment and no less than each calendar quarter for all jail personnel to include fire, emergency, evacuation drills, and location and use of equipment.

• A deficiency still exists from the August 23, 2022, Comprehensive Inspection. A review of required quarterly life safety training revealed that two staff members failed to receive training during the 2^nd quarter of 2023.

Rule §263.42-Fire Prevention Plan

Runnels County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §263.42-Fire Prevention Plan, which is in the chapter on Life Safety Rules, Subchapter D- PLANS AND DRILLS FOR EMERGENCIES. The facility shall be inspected annually by a local fire official who is certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection or who meets the alternative criteria provided in Government Code 419.909 and shall pass the inspection.

• The facility was last inspected by a local fire official on January 24, 2022. This places the annual inspection overdue by 6 months.

Rule §263.55- Inspections, Maintenance, Testing

Runnels County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §263.55- Inspections, Maintenance, Testing, which is in the chapter on Life Safety Rules, SubChapter E Life Safety and Emergency Equipment. All life safety equipment shall be inspected, maintained, and tested by persons qualified to do so (whether under vendor contract, by state or private agency or otherwise) in order that such equipment shall be safe, secure, and fully operative at all times.

• A deficiency still exists from the August 23, 2022, Comprehensive Inspection. The transfer switch for the facility generator is still inoperable and a test of the facility generator could not be performed on the day of the inspection. Records show the transfer switch has been inoperable since April 2021 and repairs have not been completed to date.

Rule §263.56-Testing Emergency Power Equipment

Runnels County Jail has been cited for violating §263.56  Testing Emergency Power Equipment. This rule is in the chapter about Life Safety Rules, SubChapter E, Life Safety and Emergency Equipment. Emergency power equipment shall be tested at least once each week and the electric load transferred to the circuits at least monthly.

Rule §275.4-Staff

Runnels County Jail was found to be non-compliant with the following rule in the chapter on the Supervision of Inmates. Rule §275.4-Staff states: Sufficient staff to include supervisors, jailers and other essential personnel as accepted by the Commission shall be provided to perform required functions.

• . Areas found to be affected by staffing during this inspection was food preparation in the kitchen.

Rule §279.3-Facility Maintenance

Runnels County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §279.3-Facility Maintenance. This rule is in the chapter on Sanitation. Preventive maintenance, to include necessary repairs, shall be conducted to ensure a safe, secure, and sanitary facility.

• Housing areas D3 and D4 are currently closed due to the high levels of mold within the areas. Mold is also affecting the back pod control room. The cause of the mold has been traced to faulty plumbing and faulty HVAC due to neglected repairs.

Rule §281.5-Staff Supervision

Runnels County Jail was found to be non-compliant with the following rule in the chapter on Food Service. Rule §281.5-Staff Supervision states that food shall be prepared under the supervision of a staff member or contract employee who possesses a food handler license in accordance with 25 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §228.31.

• After a review of documentation, it was found that a deficiency still exists from the August 23, 2022, Comprehensive Inspection. A review of staffing rosters for May, June, and July reveal that food was prepared in the kitchen without staff supervision for 18 shifts in 72 days. This results in a 25% error rate during this time period.