SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday that the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) has placed the Bexar County jail out of compliance.
BCSO said it received the notice on Nov. 19, which means the jail is not meeting state laws and minimum jail standards.
The notice has prompted the Bexar County jail to create and submit TCJS a plan, to show how it’s working to regain compliance.
BCSO said it plans to install advanced technology in inmate cells that will be able to monitor movement, breathing, and heart rates.
A spokesperson from BCSO told KSAT that the technology has been fully installed and operates in the MJ infirmary and single-man booking cells in the medical facility. BCSO said it will continue installing the technology in high-risk areas but not all inmate cells.
The system aims to alert jail staff if an inmate is experiencing a health emergency.
So far this year, the jail has reported 13 inmate-related deaths.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar sent the following statement:
“Regaining compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) is our top priority. In response to the recent noncompliance notice, we swiftly submitted a comprehensive plan to TCJS that not only meets but maintains their standards. Our plan aims to improve inmate health and streamline the housing process at the Bexar County Jail. We also have support from the University Health System, which is committed to assisting us with their strategic plan. Together, we are focused on achieving compliance promptly.”
University Health is also stepping in, introducing a plan to ensure accurate distribution or refusal of medication to prisoners, BCSO said.
BCSO said the jail will also create 48-hour reports to track all prisoners who have yet to be housed and assigned to a living unit. The 48-hour report will track inmates entering the jail and shows how long each person has been in holding without being assigned to a housing unit.
The reports will be shared with deputies in the classification and booking sections to ensure inmates with the longest wait times are prioritized for housing.
The BCSO Standards and Compliance Unit (SCU) will conduct internal audits on practices regarding inmate housing assignments to ensure they meet the rules from TCJS. The SCU and the Jail Administration will review the audits.
A BCSO official told KSAT that the plans need to be in effect for 30 days. After that, the TCJS will carry out an unannounced inspection at the jail. The results of that visit will determine whether the jail regains compliance.