OKLAHOMA CITY —
Sheriff John Whetsel said the county jail has gained valued accreditation four years after it was criticized by U.S. Department of Justice for multiple deficiencies.
In 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice began an investigation of jail conditions. In July 2008, it released a scathing report which found that “certain conditions at the Jail violate the constitutional rights of the detainees confined there.”
The county jail houses inmates who are awaiting trial but have not been convicted on charges filed against them. Its current occupancy is about 2,350, and the maximum capacity is 2,890, Sheriff John Whetsel said.
It was designed to hold about 1,200 inmates in single cells, according to a report by the Oklahoma County Adult Detention Advisory Committee for the Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners. The sheriff has no control over the number of inmates.
Most issues identified by the DOJ were operational and not structural. The federal agency noted a disturbing number of incidents involving inmate-on-inmate violence and excessive use of force by detention officers. It also cited inadequate access to medical care.
Tuesday afternoon, speaking to reporters, Whetsel announced the jail is accredited by the American Correctional Association for its operations. He emphasized that the status is not for its bricks and mortar.
Gaining the accreditation was the result of audits, mountains of documentation, facility tours and hearings, Whetsel said. It will last for three years and include constant contact with the ACA, he said. There will also be annual reporting regarding compliance with standards, updated plans of actions and significant events review. The ACA will also conduct regular routine audits and tours.
“Under the leadership of Maj. Jack Herron our employees have transformed this jail into an exemplary benchmark for detention centers on the national level,” Whetsel said.
Whetsel said working with county officials the sheriff’s office was able to fund multiple improvement projects during the recent recession. He also credited the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office and county commissioners.
Darrell Sorrels, of Midwest City, a former county sheriff’s office deputy, is running against Whetsel for county sheriff. Sorrels said gaining the accreditation is a positive development for the county, but it could have been accomplished years ago.
“There we go again,” Sorrels said. “It’s smoke and mirrors by Sheriff Whetsel.”
Sorrels said violence in the jail remains too high and if elected he will make several changes. He said he wants to streamline the sheriff’s office, get rid of some unnecessary spending and put money into jail operations.
Whetsel said he believes the facility may be weeks away from receiving national accreditation for its medical and mental health care. Past issues included having to send many inmates to St. Anthony’s Hospital for mental health treatment and OU Medical Center for medical care, all at additional costs to the county, according to the committee’s report.
Herron said 142 elements the jail had to meet to achieve accreditation. Whetsel said close to $2 million has been spent on them. About 60 additional staff members have been hired since 2007, he said. Other enhancements include video upgrades and changes in procedures.
An architectural firm is reviewing space requirements, needs and cost estimates before making a recommendation on remodeling the current jail or building a new one, Whetsel said.
County Commissioner Ray Vaughn, whose district includes parts of Edmond, said accreditation limits liability for the taxpayers, but it does not resolve all of the issues.
“It gets us a good way down the road with the actual operation of the facility,” Vaughn said.
Remaining issues include the physical plant, inadequate recreational space and the operation of the jail as an indirect supervision facility, Vaughn said.
A major issue toward a new jail is finding a funding source, Vaughn said. In 2003, 81 percent of county voters defeated a countywide 2/5 percent permanent sales tax, which would have collected $35 million a year to fund operations of the jail and sheriff’s office. Reasons for the defeat included lack of oversight and lack of accounting transparency.
Completing the design phase would take about a year and construction would take about two years, Vaughn said.
marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 108
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Sheriff John Whetsel speaks to reporters during Tuesday's press conference announcing national accreditation for jail operations.
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Sheriff's office employees and county officials provide a backdrop for Tuesday's accreditation announcement.
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Sheriff's office Maj. Jack Herron receives a plaque commemorating the jail's gaining national accreditation.
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MARK SCHLACHTENHAUFEN | THE EDMOND SUN Sunlight shines on the county jail, which has received national accreditation for operations.
Discussion
Okla. County Jail gains accreditation
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