Sheriff’s Officers Concerned About Private Jail Proposals
Sheriff’s Officers Concerned About Private Jail Proposals Save Email Print
Reporter: By Adam Fox
Email Address: adam.fox@kwtx.com
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(June 24, 2008)—Sheriff’s officers packed the meeting of the McLennan County Commissioner’s Court Tuesday to air concerns about proposals that would turn operation of county jail facilities over to a private company.

A private firm now operates the downtown jail, but other facilities are still county-run.

But the county is under mounting pressure to solve its jail-overcrowding problem and one option commissioners are considering is construction of a new jail big enough to hold a thousand prisoners.

The price tag for the facility could run as high as $60 million.

Among the options on the table is hiring a private company to build and operate the new jail.

Without the new facility, County Judge Jim Lewis projects that by 2010, the county will be renting space for almost 450 prisoners it doesn't have room for, at a total cost of nearly $27,000 a day or almost $10 million a year.

But sheriff’s officers are concerned about what turning operations over to a private company could mean to their paychecks and their job security.

"They've told us that they would keep at us at our current rate of pay. (We’re) not sure how long that would happen or if they would demote us or terminated us," said Sgt. Ricky Armstrong.

They’re also concerned about the impact of privatization on retirement benefits of the officers now employed as jailers by the county.

"I can retire in seven years at this point with the county. If it's privatized I would have to work for another 15 years and it would still be less than if I retired in seven with the county," Armstrong said.

Commissioners, however, say they must weigh the impact on jail staffers against the potential burden on taxpayers.

"I'm the one that has to count the money and I'm the one that has to make the recommendation to raise taxes if that's what's needed. And we're trying to get this done where we're not affecting the county taxpayers," Lewis said.
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Posted by: Concerned Location: Waco,Tx. on Jun 26, 2008 at 03:10 PM
This is to the anonymous person who thinks we have it like gravy train. This is not television. The hardened criminals are there until they go to court and still are there after they are sentenced sometimes upto several months. When they have been sentenced to life or death or whatever we do not always segregate them, goes to show you how much you know. Mister, I have been kicked,hit,spit on,called names,scratched,unknown substance thrown on me, and had my family threatened half the time I'm there. You are right, we suck it up and continue to put on our uniform and go in each and everyday and proud to wear the Mclennan County Sheriff Dept. uniform. So before you go running your mouth how easy we have it made, you need to walk a day in my shoes!
Posted by: Man with Shotgun Location: Mart on Jun 26, 2008 at 09:43 AM
To Uncle Sam; the recent escapee in Mart had a "Certified" officer assigned to him and he escaped and remained on the run for a while. How much money did this "Certified" officer cost the county having the other law enforcement agencies assist in his search and apprehension.
Posted by: Uncle Sam Location: Waco on Jun 26, 2008 at 07:46 AM
The Sheriff already has inmates assigned to each precinct who clean up the side of the roads and patch with tar; in fact the inmate who escaped from the precinct in Mart last month was assigned to one such crew. That's why they need a certified officer to watch them. You may not know it but the prison system is FULL. Out of the 950 inmates at the county jail, between 400 and 500 are in fact hardened criminals waiting trial or transfer to state prison. To trivialize smoking a little pot or beating up their wife or girlfriend displays your ignorance of today's societal norms and the criminal justice system. The guy who got sentenced to life for killing his girlfriend yesterday started out smoking a little pot and beating her up.
Posted by: Concerned Citizen Location: Waco on Jun 26, 2008 at 07:07 AM
Being a former jail employee, I saw just how politics work where the commissioners and sheriff are involved. They only care about themselves and don't care about the impact working long 12 hr shifts and low pay the jail staff get just to deal with breaking up fights, getting called names by aggressive offenders when brought to jail and being exposed to communicable diseases. I agree with 'good people' about putting up a tent city instead of building a new jail. Make the criminals sleep in a cot outside, eat sandwiches, do their own laundry and make them work for their crime they committed and maybe then there wont be repeat offenders. It is working in AZ, it could work here too! These repeat offenders keep coming back to jail because they get 3 square meals a day, a cot and cable tv. I can honestly say that is more than I have and I am an honest citizen that works very hard for what I have. I think it is time to vote out the commissioners and the sheriff! Wake up McLennan Co residents!
Posted by: Bell County Citizen Location: Temple on Jun 25, 2008 at 09:22 PM
I'm not from McLennon Cty, but hope the Commissioners and Sheriff really see the benefit of having experienced local citizens to take care of their county jail. An outside company will not care for the system and employees the way local tax-payer/employees would. My son-in-law is a jailer for Bell County. He is hard working, works over time, deals with the usual politics which affects him and his family. He is worth every penny they pay him and so much more! I'm hoping and praying that Bell County Jail employees gets the raise the Sheriff has asked for. Will it cause taxes to go up? Maybe - probably - but those employees are trying to eek out a living for their families like everyone else and deserve it. I'm a taxpayer and I say Yes! I'll give a few more cents so others (who put up with the grime and slime of society) can go home to a family that is reasonably healthy and happy. The prison system and county jailers have it tough, people! Give them their due!
Posted by: China Spring Mom on Jun 25, 2008 at 08:42 PM
The commissioners need to look at other avenues for revenue. Inmates can fill pot holes with tar -that's a great START. They can also pick up trash and mow the side of the roads, parks, and fair grounds, supply labor to replace/repair guardrails and can bail hay on county owned land (and sell it). The county pays big money to have these things done by outside companies. Commissioners need to stop worrying about their next golf game and start worrying about creating revenue with the resources they have under their nose. If you want our commissioners to change, flood their offices with letters and phone calls, tell them we are unhappy. And when that doesn't work VOTE them out. Our commissioners are running our county like a rich housewife would...paying someone else to do what she could do for less because she has 'more money than she has desire to work'. The commissioners are going to continue to slack off as long as we merely ACCEPT failure.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: Waco on Jun 25, 2008 at 08:08 PM
We are not talking about Huntsville, this is county jail. The hardened criminals are shipped to the state and Federal prison systems. The boys in local jail have smoked some pot, beat their wive, girl friend, or neighbor. Some may have committed a more serious crime but will be segregated and may be shipped to the state prison. These jailers sound like they are on a gravy train (majority, from the pics, need to shove away from the table a little sooner) and are upset that things may be a changin'. Everyone voted for the party that stressed "no new taxes"; now they are in power and trying to be conservative with the taxpayer's monies. So, suck it in; everyone else has.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 25, 2008 at 06:07 PM
its not all about money it is about safety and security of our county. google civigenics rap sheet and you will see what a private jail can do for you. the county would be a lot better off keeping the employees they have now. you get what you pay for if you want an $8.00 employee then that is what you will get when you hire a private company to run the jail. as for taxes. the commissioners failed to tell you the county will still have to pay the private company for the inmates that the county will have to house in the private jail. this amount will be very close to what it is costing now to pay county employees. The reason taxes are going to go up is not only because of the jail. Insurance is going up 21% gas to fix the county roads is going up gas to patrol the roads of the county has gone up and everything else. it is not just the jail. wake up citizens get the entire story befor you make a decision
Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 25, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Money has never been a problem when the county gives money towards the constuction and animals for the zoo which is always changing,and you'll see the county give millions to keep those animals caged,well what about the animals who cause harm to us on the streets. Remember the people of the county is about to let go of the same people and their families who vote for county commissioners and the sheriff,so remember don't bite the hands that feed you. I just wonder how long these department heads will stick around when something goes wrong because these private jailers mess something up. I wonder if it would be worth the money then. Put that on that on your list of things to count commissioners
Posted by: Anonymous Location: TEXAS on Jun 25, 2008 at 12:25 PM
IF A PRIVATE COMPANY CAN KEEP OUR PAY THE SAME AND CONTINUE TO MAKE A PROFIT TO SEND UP NORTH, THEN WHY CAN`T THE COUNTY KEEP US EMPLOYED? JUST REMEMBER YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
Posted by: veryupset Location: TX on Jun 25, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Well maybe if Jim Lewis and the county commissioners had not granted themselves a 14% raise,they could have put some of that money back to help build a new facility or put that money into other ways to fix the problem. It is not fair to the county employees or the tax-payers to have to make up what the commissioners have taken to for themselves. Not to mention all the comp-time the county is cheating these employees out of. Sounds like to me that All the county employees need to stand together and file a civil lawsuit like the Waco Fire Dept did about getting cheated out of the money and time. Being a close relative of one of the county employees you learn alot of what politics is about. These employees cannot even give there opionion or follow the proper grevieance procedures without fear of retaliation. The way the Commissioners and the Sheriff run this county makes me sick. They are selfish people who only care about themselves.
Posted by: dude Location: texas on Jun 25, 2008 at 12:06 AM
i'm sooo concerned too. i could retire in 7 years but with the econmy it'll be 70. waco pd is hiring so no need to whine. hey a cops a cop right?
Posted by: tax watch Location: waco on Jun 24, 2008 at 08:45 PM
If it will save money and taxes won't go up, I say fire the county jailers and let the private company take over the county jails. If the jailers want a job, let them work for the private company. That's called "down-sizing" in the real world.
Posted by: good people Location: texas on Jun 24, 2008 at 07:45 PM
If you keep making the jails like motels then they will stay crouded. Make tent citys like AZ and the number of people in jail will fall. Most of them in jail have better living conditions than they do out side.
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