GMJ Jail Study

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Recommendations

1. Establish 24/7 coverage in the classification unit.

Corrections made: The classifications unit is now covered from 6 am to 3 am daily and shift sergeants have been given the ability and training to classify as needed. This has proven to be effective the timely classification of inmates.

2. Develop a written curriculum or guidance for training new booking officers and provide refresher training.

The Training Department has established a Booking Training Sergeant and Detention Training Officers for Booking. We have recruited two experienced booking officers from other agencies with over 30 years combined experience to assist in the Booking office.

3. Incorporate the procedural aspects of inmate booking into the agency’s formal policy manual.

The policy manuals are currently under review. Upon completion of the review process the new policies and procedures will be posted. We are working towards updating and automating the policy manual.   This is a very time consuming and labor intensive task.   Additionally, this legislative session a bill requiring accreditation of Sheriff’s Offices was passed and later vetoed by Gov. Abbott.   We expect this bill to return and automating the policy manual will be beneficial in the accreditation process.

4. Incorporate the procedural aspects of the booking functions into a new classification policy.

The policy manuals are currently under review. Upon completion of the review process the new policies and procedures will be posted. We are working towards updating and automating the policy manual.   This is a very time consuming and labor intensive task.   Additionally, this legislative session a bill requiring accreditation of Sheriff’s Offices was passed and later vetoed by Gov. Abbott.   We expect this bill to return and automating the policy manual will be beneficial in the accreditation process.

5. Install a dedicated TCIC/NCIC terminal in the classification section.

The one terminal is sufficient and does not lead to lag times for classification.

6. Improve communications within the Smith County jail and require leadership training.

In 2019, we brought the Extreme Ownership leadership training to the Smith County Peace Officer building. Several mid level and first line supervisors from the Law Enforcement Division and Jail Division attended the training.

7. Implement leadership training for jail command staff.

Currently three Command staff members have graduated from the National Jail Leadership Command Academy. Other jail command staff members will be attending in the near future.

8. Establish a process for reviewing compliance in the jail.

The Smith County Jail now has a Compliance Staff of 1-Sergeant and 2-veteran Detention Officers that conduct inspections of the Detention Facilities on a regular basis.

9. Consider changing from 12-hour shifts to either 10-hour or 8-hour shifts to help with employee burnout which is contributing to turnover rates.

Jail Administration is reviewing these options, however, more personnel is required in order to schedule both the 8 hour shift and the 10 hour shift.

10. Conduct a staffing analysis to include determination of a relief factor for the Smith County jail.

A staffing Analysis has been conducted by Jail Administration. The North jail detention facility is a 432 bed facility and in staffing for an 8 hour shift with relief factor of 1.63 requires 81 personnel. The relief factor ensures proper coverage when vacation and training days are required. The relief factor will ensure compliance with the officer to inmate ratio of 1 detention officer to 48 inmates.

 In staffing for a 12 hour shift, with the relief factor of 1.63, 29 detention officers would be utilized in a 24 hour period to meet all of the standards of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

In staffing the same facility for a 24 hour period utilizing 8 hour shifts, it would require 44 detention officers on duty in a 24-hour period to meet all the standards of the Texas Commission on Jail standards.

The 10 hour shift as suggested by GMJ is not conducive to covering 24-hour periods as it would only cover 20 hours. Unfortunately, the inmates must be managed 24/7 365 days a year.

11. Conduct an assessment of the counties pretrial services functions to determine if more inmates could be released from the jail while awaiting trial.

The Pretrial Release staff have access to the inmates upon request at any time.

12. Increased alternatives available to defendants that allow them to be released from jail while awaiting adjudication.

Unfortunately, alternatives such as this are not under the purview or authority of the Smith County jail.

13. Conduct a review of how long, on average, it is taking for inmates to become paper ready.

Subsequent to this GMJ jail study, the District Attorney’s Office, District Clerk’s office and the Smith County jail have developed an online program by which each entity can monitor inmates which are paper ready for TDC transfer. With the development of this program, supervision can access the data and determine which entity is required to make the final entry in order for the inmate to be paper ready. Additionally, the development of this system has allowed TDCJ pen packets to be delivered electronically. Prior to this, the TDCJ pen packets were delivered by driving them to TDCJ. Lieutenant McCarver & Sergeant Dewberry conduct weekly checks with the District Clerk, District Attorney and TDCJ on inmate paper ready.

14. Examine the costs involved with training and equipping newly hired employees and paying them over time compared to the cost of attrition.

Lieutenant Aimee Crockett is the Detention Division Coordinator for training new detention personnel. Realistically, there is little difference in the cost of paying overtime versus being fully staffed, other than the wear and tear on the individual employee which ultimately leads to attrition. With attrition, this requires additional work on the Smith County Sheriff’s office personnel division in assessing, hiring and ultimately training new employees. Once again, employees not having the ability to take vacation days, sick days and their days off consistently does not make for ideal employment, regardless whether they initially have a passion for their job or not.

15. Use the interest in detention officer positions as a “steppingstone” to other law enforcement careers as an incentive for detention officer positions.

During the interview process, applicants are advised of the advancement in the agency and of a dual career progression ladder. Often, detention officers transfer to the Smith County Sheriff’s office patrol division as law enforcement officers. As of October 1, 2023, detention officers who have been to the law enforcement academy as a detention officer are available for transfer to the courthouse security division.

16. Implement training programs and provide part – time employment opportunities to improve employee retention.

We already allow part time employment opportunities.

General Recruiting Efforts:

    1. Have worked with Texas Workforce Commission at job fairs.

    2. Career Days at local colleges and High Schools.

    3. Advertising on social media platforms

    4. Worked with military to recruit veterans and military applicants leaving the military to join the work force.

    5. Video

1. Based on recommendation from Jail Study, edited and added more jail/detention information to recruiting video

HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING PROGRAM.

Problem: While recruiting in High Schools and Colleges we encountered the following problems:

COLLEGE STUDENTS:

We found there was interest from criminal justice students in colleges, but because of TCOLE licensing requirements it was very difficult for the applicants to get licensed.   Once a student starts college, it’s almost impossible for them to attend the required 3-week licensing course to become a detention officer because they can’t leave college classes for 3 straight weeks.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS:

“We have a received approval by TCOLE to partner with TISD Career Technology Center in an innovative new approach to recruiting criminal justice students.   In the spring of 2024 we will be offering the 3-week detention officer training to criminal justice students at the CTC.  We are the only Agency in Texas currently working on a program like this.  There is a lot of explanation to this program and currently the results look promising.     If you would like all of the details, I’m happy to provide that in another presentation”

We found high school students also had interest, but once again, the TCOLE licensing requirements made it virtually impossible to attend the TCOLE licensing course.   For example, ALL of the high school students with interest in a criminal justice career planned to attend college.    This meant any student who wanted to work in the jail, was graduating in May and would have to attend the 3-week jail school immediately because once they start college in late August it was virtually impossible.

Solution: Smith County Sheriffs Office personnel met with the leadership of Tyler ISD’s Career Technology Center to discuss the problem listed above.   The idea at this point was to try teach the 3-week jail school in the criminal justice program at the Career Technology Center.   If successful, this would allow a high school student to be “eligible” to take the state detention officer licensing exam upon graduation and could now go to work in the jail and start college.

To Accomplish this goal, we had accomplish two things:

    1. TEA would have to approve the curriculum being taught in the CTC.

    2. TCOLE would have to waive several requirements allowing the 3 week licensing exam to be taught over a 9-week high school semester. 

Smith County Sheriff’s Office leadership spoke to Texas Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath.    Commissioner Morath was supportive of the idea and connected us with his staff to start working through the program.   Several meetings were held and TEA is supportive of the program.

Smith County Sheriff’s Office leadership then met with members of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Commission that oversees TCOLE.   That led to a meeting in Austin with TCOLE Director John Beacham.  After several meetings and the submission of a formal proposal, TCOLE has approved the Smith County Sheriff’s Office to partner with Tyler ISD in this pilot project to accomplish our goal.

RESULT:  Smith County Sheriff’s Office has trained two instructors from the CTC and the 3-week detention officer licensing course will be taught in the last semester of 2024 high school year.   The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is the first Agency in Texas to work with high school students in this manner.   We believe it’s possible to fill all of our vacancies through this program which will not only benefit the Sheriff’s Office but it will benefit many students in our community.   The approval of this program has already drawn interest and questions from other Counties in Texas and could ultimately serve as a recruiting model that is used throughout the State.

17. Consider implementing a bonus program to incentivize longevity among jail staff.

Detention personnel receive certification incentives, additional pay for being a Jail Training officer and longevity pay.

18. Implement written policies and procedures for promotion to Sergeant.

Lieutenant Strickland has a procedure in place for promotional opportunities both written and oral.

19. Review the detention training program for new employees. A robust and comprehensive training program may reduce the amount of attrition among newly hired employees.

Lieutenant Crockett has revamped the training program and has additional TCOLE certified instructors to assist her in the training program.

20. Encourage career development for jail staff.

The Sheriff’s Office provides OSS training online for all detention personnel. OSS Academy. provides 130+ quality online law enforcement, corrections, and telecommunications training courses. This includes critical peace officer, jailer, 911 telecommunications, and security e-commerce training. Their adult based learning programs are interactive, and are in use by numerous professional public safety entities.

21. Implement the use of periodic employee satisfaction surveys.

These surveys have historically been utilized in the Smith County Jail.

22. Formal working group to overhaul the policy manual and organize policies and procedures into a logical sequence.

The Jail Administration is in process of making revisions to the policy manual. The policy manuals are currently under review. Upon completion of the review process the new policies and procedures will be posted. We are working towards updating and automating the policy manual.   This is a very time consuming and labor intensive task.   Additionally, this legislative session a bill requiring accreditation of Sheriff’s Offices was passed and later vetoed by Gov. Abbott.   We expect this bill to return and automating the policy manual will be beneficial in the accreditation process.

23. Establish written guidance on the process for how new or amended policies are communicated to staff.

All personnel have access to the policy and procedures via computer access.

24. Establish a regular policy review schedule to ensure policies and procedures appropriately address the needs and context of the Smith County jail.

The Jail Administrator, Assistant Jail Administrator and Compliance Supervisor are addressing this item. 

25. Revise the jail policy manual to provide clarity and eliminate contradictions.

The policy manuals are currently under review. Upon completion of the review process the new policies and procedures will be posted. We are working towards updating and automating the policy manual.   This is a very time consuming and labor intensive task.   Additionally, this legislative session a bill requiring accreditation of Sheriff’s Offices was passed and later vetoed by Gov. Abbott.   We expect this bill to return and automating the policy manual will be beneficial in the accreditation process.

26. Revise the policy manual to use consistent terminology, including consistent term for referring to line staff.

The policy manuals are currently under review. Upon completion of the review process the new policies and procedures will be posted. We are working towards updating and automating the policy manual.   This is a very time consuming and labor intensive task.   Additionally, this legislative session a bill requiring accreditation of Sheriff’s Offices was passed and later vetoed by Gov. Abbott.   We expect this bill to return and automating the policy manual will be beneficial in the accreditation process.

27. Revise the policy manual to cite statutes and standards. 

Polices are in review. We are working towards updating and automating the policy manual.   This is a very time consuming and labor intensive task.   Additionally, this legislative session a bill requiring accreditation of Sheriff’s Offices was passed and later vetoed by Gov. Abbott.   We expect this bill to return and automating the policy manual will be beneficial in the accreditation process.

28. Review the responsibilities of booking officers for free – admission health screenings and clarify the policy manual.

The health screenings are based upon the rules of the TCJS.

29. Move the medical screening desk to a location that provides privacy to protect inmates’ confidentiality.

Administration will discuss this issue with TCJS

30. Review that portion of policy 100.30 addressing inmate grievances and determine whether it is appropriately part of the policy addressing inmate discipline or should be removed.

This policy has been updated.

31. Change the current health screening practice to better satisfy jail standards and adequately protect inmates and staff from health and safety threats.

Will discuss this with the TCJS at next inspection.

32. Develop written procedures for attorney visitation based on actual practice, both for training purposes and to provide staff with clear guidance on the process of managing the attorney visitation process and ensuring all staff knows the acceptable attorney visitation hours.

Two inmate services officers are being utilized to take care of attorney visits.

33. Evaluate the delivery mechanism of detention officer training.

Lieutenant Crockett is revising the training program.

34. Reorganize Sheriff’s office staff to place the training Lieutenant and coordinator under the supervision of the jail administrator.

Lieutenant Crockett reports to the Jail Administrator

35. Provide new detention officers with a copy of their training manual at the conclusion of the detention training program.

Lieutenant Crockett is in the process of revising the Detention Training Officer program.

36. Review the county’s jail training program to ensure the adequacy and competency of staff assigned to training new detention officers.

The program has been revised.