By Erin Sheridan
Staff Writer
Brownsville Herald
A series of inspections done by state authorities at the Cameron County detention centers detailed violations in the maintenance of life safety equipment and cell supervision over the course of five years.
The inspections took place in November 2019, September 2018, January 2018, October 2016, September 2015, and October 2014. Officials from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards arrive at the facilities unannounced and conduct walk-throughs to determine if the jail is up to health and safety standards.
The commission also conducts checks on employee protocol to ensure that proper policies are being followed while supervising inmates.
According to Sheriff Omar Lucio, the various compliance failures are the result of different inspectors, some with different levels of experience, as well as changing laws that he feels the department tries its best to keep up with.
One violation that was documented multiple times over the course of inspections was the failure of jail staff to maintain life safety equipment — namely the detention center’s fire panel.
In October of this year, the panel at Carrizales-Rucker was red tagged for having eight different trouble alarms. Lucio told The Brownsville Herald in November that the part had been ordered and was ready to be installed.
The jail is still listed as non-compliant on the commission’s website. Lucio said on Wednesday that the department has done all necessary updates and paperwork and is waiting on a follow-up inspection, which will take place in March.
The last inspection date on another fire panel’s tags — this time at the old county jail located at 954 E. Harrison Street in Brownsville — was listed in the November report as being tagged Oct. 19, 2018, exactly one year prior.
A series of inspections done by state authorities at the Cameron County detention centers detailed violations in the maintenance of life safety equipment and cell supervision over the course of five years.
The inspections took place in November 2019, September 2018, January 2018, October 2016, September 2015, and October 2014. Officials from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards arrive at the facilities unannounced and conduct walk-throughs to determine if the jail is up to health and safety standards.
The commission also conducts checks on employee protocol to ensure that proper policies are being followed while supervising inmates.
According to Sheriff Omar Lucio, the various compliance failures are the result of different inspectors, some with different levels of experience, as well as changing laws that he feels the department tries its best to keep up with.
One violation that was documented multiple times over the course of inspections was the failure of jail staff to maintain life safety equipment — namely the detention center’s fire panel.
In October of this year, the panel at Carrizales-Rucker was red tagged for having eight different trouble alarms. Lucio told The Brownsville Herald in November that the part had been ordered and was ready to be installed.
The jail is still listed as non-compliant on the commission’s website. Lucio said on Wednesday that the department has done all necessary updates and paperwork and is waiting on a follow-up inspection, which will take place in March.
The last inspection date on another fire panel’s tags — this time at the old county jail located at 954 E. Harrison Street in Brownsville — was listed in the November report as being tagged Oct. 19, 2018, exactly one year prior.
To read rest of article, click on link: https://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/county-jails-have-history-of-violations-infractions-date-back-to/article_1f1b8cce-2cfc-11ea-99fd-9744cc315bb0.html