TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS
JAIL INSPECTION REPORT
Facility Name: Bexar County Jail Date: February 19-22, 2019
Item Section Paragraph Comments
1 267 .1 The releasing officer shall determine inmate identity before discharge or release.
The administration has employed and authorized civilian employees to perform releasing
officer duties which is a violation of minimum jail standards.
2 271 .1(b)(3) A custody reassessment shall be conducted within 30 - 90 days of the Initial Custody
Assessment and immediately upon any disciplinary action and/or change in legal
status which would affect classification.
A documented classification review to determine the necessity for a complete
reassessment shall be conducted every 30 - 90 days thereafter.
Inmate classification paperwork and staff interviews indicated that jail staff routinely exceed
custody reassessments as required. One file exceeded the 90 day limit by 27 days.
3 273 .4(a) The health services plan shall include procedures for the maintenance of a separate
health record on each inmate. The record shall include a health screening procedure
administered by health personnel or by a trained booking officer upon the admission of
the inmate to the facility
The administration has employed and authorized civilian employees to perform duties of
health personnel or trained book in officers which is a violation of minimum jail standards.
4 273 .5(a)(1) (a) Each sheriff/operator shall develop and implement a mental disabilities/suicide
prevention plan, in coordination with available medical and mental health officials,
approved by the Commission by March 31, 1997. The plan shall address the following
principles and procedures:
(1) Training. Provisions for staff training (including frequency and duration) on the
procedures for recognition, supervision, documentation, and handling of inmates who
are mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal. Supplemental training should be
provided to those staff members responsible for intake screening;
The administration was unable to provide training records to confirm the that detention officers
received suicide prevention training in accordance with the approved operational plans.
5 273 .5(a)(5) Supervision. Provisions for adequate supervision of inmates who are mentally disabled
and/or potentially suicidal and procedures for documenting supervision. The approved
Bexar Co. operational plan for inmates of full suicide precautions states that inmates
shall be observed every 15 minutes.
Observation logs indicated that jail staff exceeded the required face-to-face 15 minute
observations on a continual basis in accordance with the jails own approved operational plan.
6 275 .1 Facilities shall have an established procedure for documented, face-to-face
observation of all inmates by jailers no less than once every 60 minutes.
Observation logs indicated that jail staff exceeded the required face-to-face 60 minute
observations on a continual basis by as few as 1 minute up to 126 minutes.
TEXAS COMMISSION ON JAIL STANDARDS
JAIL INSPECTION REPORT
7 275 .2 Personnel employed or appointed as jailers of county jails or personnel appointed,
employed, or assigned to directly supervise jailers shall be licensed as per the
requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement under the provisions of
Part 7 of this title. Personnel employed or appointed as jailers or personnel appointed,
employed, or assigned to directly supervise jailers at facilities operated under vendor
contract with a county or city shall be licensed as per the requirements of the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement under the provisions of Part 7 of this title.
The administration has employed and authorized civilian employees to perform duties of
licensed jailers. These civilian employees are not licensed as jailers by TCOLE as required.
8 275 .7 Inmates shall be observed by a peace officer or a jailer licensed by the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement or bailiff when outside the security perimeter in court
holding cells. The sheriff/operator shall have an established procedure for
documented, face-to-face observation of all inmates no less than once every 30
minutes. One jailer, licensed peace officer, or bailiff shall be provided on each floor
where 10 or more inmates are detained, with no less than one jailer, licensed peace
officer, or bailiff per 48 inmates or increment thereof on each floor for direct inmate
supervision. Where required, there shall be a two-way voice communication capability
between inmates and jailers, licensed peace officers, or bailiffs at all times. Closed
circuit television may be used, but not in lieu of the required personal observation.
The administration has employed and authorized civilian employees to perform duties of
licensed jailers, bailiff or peace officers in the security perimeter of the court holding cells.
These civilian employees are not licensed as jailers by TCOLE as required.
9 285 .1 Each facility shall have and implement a written plan, approved by the Commission, for
inmate physical exercise and physical recreation. Documentation of physical exercise
and physical recreation shall be maintained for Commission review. Each inmate shall
be allowed one hour of supervised physical exercise or physical recreation at least
three days per week.
The inspection team was unable to verify, through maintained documentation, that recreation
is being offered to inmates at least 3 days per week for 1 hours as required by minimum jail
standards.
Jennifer Shumake, TCJS Inspector
William Phariss, TCJS Inspector
