Tarrant County Sheriff's Office eyes outside consultant, body cams for jailers
FORT WORTH – The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office is taking its first steps toward potential changes in the way jail facilities are run.
The agency has come under fire this year for a string of inmate deaths, including one that led to murder charges against two corrections officers.
On Wednesday, the sheriff's office asked Tarrant County commissioners to approve their requests to get information for several different initiatives, such as bringing in a third-party consultant to review its current policies and procedures.
The sheriff's chief of staff, Jennifer Gabbert, told commissioners these aren't necessarily new ideas.
"Many of the items mentioned in the RFIs today are either projects that have been in the works for months or years," she said. "We're hoping with this new court that's interested in going out of the previous comfort zones, that some of this would come to fruition for us."
Gabbert also said many of the agency's current jail standards already go above and beyond what's required by state law, but the sheriff's office would like an outside perspective.
"We'd like a company to come in and look at it and say you're either good, you need to update it, or this is what you need to put in place," Gabbert said.
The sheriff's office has faced both criticism and questions over multiple inmate deaths this year.
In April, Anthony Johnson Jr. died after an altercation with officers outside his cell. Video shows the 31-year-old Marine veteran being wrestled, pepper-sprayed, and held on the ground with a knee in his back. Two jailers have been indicted on murder charges for his death.
At least 64 people have died while in custody of the Tarrant County Jail since 2017. More than half of those deaths were caused by natural causes or medical issues, according to the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office is now considering equipping every jailer with a body camera.
"We'd like to expand that to see what it would look like for the detention division," Gabbert said. "We're a very large division, kind of a monumental project, but we'd love to see what somebody has to offer out there."
The agency also plans to research outside organizations that could both screen and improve the physical and mental health of law enforcement officers.
The jail's chief administrator retired at the end of May amid all the controversy over in-custody deaths. Commissioners indicated the sheriff's office will be conducting a nationwide search to find the next leader of jail operations.
"I think if we cast a broad net, we can truly get someone who has best practice experience and someone who can bring outside ideas to help better the organization," said Precinct 4 Commissioner Manny Ramirez.
Ramirez applauded the potential reforms, calling them a strong first step in the right direction.
It's not clear if or when they'll be implemented.
Meanwhile, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office released a statement Wednesday evening:
"Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn is pleased by the support received from the Commissioner's Court today. The Sheriff's Office presented several proposals to the court including but not limited to policy review consultants, officer wellness assessments and body-worn cameras for the Detention Division. The Court voted to support the Sheriff's Office in pursuing these long-awaited projects and we look forward to implementing them in the near future.
"While Court was in session today, Sheriff Waybourn was in Washington, D.C. at the invitation of the Department of Justice. He, along with other law enforcement leaders from across the nation, were there to provide input on some of the very items noted in today's Court agenda including operational challenges, best practices, and officer wellness.
"For the last three years, the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office has been developing and revising policies and moving forward with the implementation of a new General Order to supplement current Standard Operating Procedures. In the past year, those General Orders have been nearing completion, as our team has worked diligently to bring future policy planning in align with best practices. We welcome a third-party consultant to review and provide impartial input on our policies.
"The Sheriff has always been a proponent for officer wellness. In 2022, TCSO was granted funding for a small portion of employees to participate in a law enforcement focused wellness program. Unfortunately, continued funding was not available to expand the idea across the agency. We're grateful that health assessments for employees may get a second chance with this current court in place.
"A few months ago, the Sheriff's Office began exploring the implementation of body-worn cameras in the Operation Division. We would like to expand that program to provide cameras to the Detention Division as well. The Court voted in favor to allow that process to move forward. It may be a daunting task, but we are excited to review the possibility."