The sheriff said he is desperate to find jail beds as the Tarrant County Jail faces overcrowding.
TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — Tarrant County commissioners dealt with a full agenda that included jail overcrowding. The Tarrant County sheriff said he is desperate to find jail beds. He received the help of millions of dollars from county commissioners, although not every commissioner agreed with his plan.
Sheriff Bill Waybourn oversees the operations of the Tarrant County Jail.
Many of the inmates housed in his jail are people convicted on state charges.
“We are tipping the scales of having all of our beds taken up,” said Waybourn.
There is now a plan in place to help ease overcrowding here at the Tarrant County Jail. Right now, Waybourn is working with corrections officers on mandatory overtime.
He and his team presented commissioners with a plan to move at least 600 inmates from Tarrant County to a Harris County facility, in the Houston, Texas area. It’s an $18 million contract.
“If we don’t get this contract, then we’re going to have to figure out some other remedies for what we do with prisoners. And that can get fairly serious, fairly quick,” Waybourn said.
The commissioners voted Tuesday after hearing from the sheriff and his team and from the public opposed to the move. Opponents argued it’s too far for family inmate visitation, and the millions should be spent here instead.
Tarrant County resident Jackee Cox gave testimony during Commissioners Court Tuesday. Cox expressed concerns about possible extreme charges for inmates and families conducting virtual visits. But Commissioner Chair Judge Glen Whitley spoke up against charges that will exceed other facilities that charge for online visitations.
Whitley still insists something must be done about jail overcrowding sooner than later.
“That $18 million that we’re spending is because the state’s not taking their prisoners. And so, from that perspective, the state ought to be paying us the $18 million,” said Whitley.
Recent deaths at Tarrant County Jail
WFAA also talked to Whitley about the recent deaths in the Tarrant County Jail, the latest involving a 50-year-old man who passed away at the hospital after surgery related to a serious pre-existing condition.
“Well, every death, every death is investigated independently, outside,” said Whitley.
Waybourn said, “Our command staff, including myself, we take that very personally. We want to make sure we are the safest jail and we work on that every day.”
The sheriff’s $18 million dollar contract agreement is for one year. He’s still facing issues of housing state prisoners and finding beds for inmates who need mental health attention.