Tarrant County sheriff touts 'good news' about jail, but critics are skeptical
TARRANT COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn pushed back Tuesday against what he called misinformation about his jail operation, proudly listing out the accomplishments of his department, after years of regular criticism from citizens and activist groups.
Backed by a group of deputies, Waybourn touted the receipt of five national level awards from the American Jail Association, and restoring 455 inmates to competency last year, the most in the state.
The defense of the jail comes as the operation has received regular criticism from speakers at county meetings, and continual questions over in-custody deaths.
Waybourn explained he is fine with questions from the public, but not the rhetoric often used.
"We have seen people stand up in commissioner court, and accuse us of murdering inmates, accused us of beating inmates, and none of that, it just wasn't true," he said. "It was just bad information."
His department provided statistics Tuesday that 52 people have died in custody since 2017. That number was less than Harris or Bexar County, his office said, and more than Dallas County in the same time period.
He said staff intervention had saved 337 people from suicide, and that round the clock medical and mental health services were available for the 45,000 inmates booked into jail facilities each year.
Waybourn also listed accomplishments outside the jail, including 261 DWI arrests, $52 million in drugs seized and 300 arrests by the human trafficking unit. His office and some county officials have been pushing this spring for the need for the department to have a new training academy built for deputies and jail staff.
