SAN ANTONIO – In a message to San Antonio-area police chiefs this week, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar provided details of a new streamlined process for providing care to prisoners needing medical attention at the jail.
“While it has never been our intention to create hardship for our area law enforcement, I feel like this good faith effort by UHS (University Health) to work with us should help ease wait times,” wrote Salazar in the memo, which was shared with KSAT Investigates Thursday.
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The new “fast track process” for providing care to people brought to the jail comes weeks after local law enforcement agencies slammed Salazar for instituting a policy this fall that calls for arresting entities to take suspects to a hospital to be medically screened before being booked into jail.
Suspects with the following medical conditions would be rejected by the jail, according to the policy announced in October:
- Detoxing from alcohol
- Detoxing from drugs
- Insulin-dependent diabetics
- Need for dialysis
Salazar said the policy was put in place in large part due to inmate deaths at the jail.
In 2023, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said 18 people died in jail custody. So far, in 2024, 13 people have died.
Area police chiefs, including SAPD Chief William McManus, said the policy was not communicated properly and caused operational disruptions. Some members of law enforcement have even said the rejection policy is unlawful.
UHS’s new treatment policy can be found below.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page..
