Last Updated on August 6, 2023, 3:06 AM | Published: April 4, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — From all appearances in a meeting Monday, the recently-released Multicounty Grand Jury (MCGJ) report has motivated the Criminal Justice Authority, or Jail Trust, to make improvements and strengthen the improvements that have already been made.
The Grand Jury’s report of March 23 included a number of recommendations for ostensible improvement, and on Monday afternoon, Jail Trust Interim CEO Brandi Garner addressed many of these recommendations.
Marty Peercy reports Local government
Jail CEO reports corrected problems
Garner’s monthly report on Jail operations addressed many of these recommendations.
Obviously the recent passage of two bonds for the construction of a new jail facility will address a number of the concerns that are long-term. Garner addressed items that are not going to disappear before that construction is finished.
A significant response to one particular concern relates to the suggestion that the Jail has previously hired gang members and associates to work in the jail in various capacities.
Garner said that this was not something of which she was aware. Her response has been to initiate a new round of aggressive background checks to be sure that people working in the jail do not have criminal affiliations. The grand jury and the jail administration seem to believe this is one of the chief ways that contraband makes its way into the jail.
Garner said that at least two employees have been eliminated from the staff for connections with criminal acts.
Additionally, employees, visitors, and vendors are being more closely scrutinized, including a body scan upon entry for many.
The investigations unit, which drew pointed criticism from the MCGJ, has been revamped with officers who have law enforcement investigations experience with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
A major concern voiced by the grand jury is the status of staffing at the jail. As of Monday the number of employees at the jail was 292.
In past reports, the Trust has been told that the minimum optimal staff would consist of 400 people.
Having a more appropriate staff size would solve some of the problems addressed in the report including increasing site checks more frequently which could save detainee lives, according to the report.
Garner emphasized that the Trust must increase pay to a competitive wage in order to draw the quality of applicants they need.
Trust did not ‘self-terminate’
The MCJG recommendations included the recommendation that the Jail Trust “self-terminate.”
In order to do that, the Trust would need to vote in the majority to dissolve, and then the Governor of the state would have to accept the vote and okay the dissolution. Neither of these actions are expected to take place.
The Trust did not show any sign Monday that it was entertaining that particular recommendation.
The recommendation that the MCGJ self-terminate and turn over the Jail to the Sheriff were met with a wide range of comments from the public Monday.
Long-term critics of the Trust were present to call for the body to dissolve themselves, including Mark Faulk, Sara Bana, Christopher Johnston, and Sean Cummings. Each of their public comments endorsed the work of Major Garner, while also calling for the Trust to be dissolved.
Some community members called for the Trust to continue their work and to fine tune their efforts.
Hannah Royce, a member of the Jail Trust’s Citizens Advisory Board, was on hand to point out that the Trust offers a level of transparency not previously seen in Jail operations.
While some would see control of the Jail returned to the Sheriff’s Office, Royce and others pointed out that the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t offer an open meeting once a month for discussion of jail operations and public input, things the Jail Trust encouraged.
Recommendations not addressed
More recommendations from the Grand Jury that were not directly addressed Monday include:
- Site checks on each detainee should be carried out every half hour.
- Do more extensive background checks on those being hired.
- To attract a more capable workforce, the OCCJA should raise the beginning salary and add a signing bonus.
- Hire an additional 100 detention officers. The addition will “save inmates lives.”
- All deaths in the jail be investigated as homicides and that the OK County DA review the findings.
- Purchase a narcotics K9 for utilization within the Oklahoma County Jail
The next meeting of the Jail Trust will take place on May 1 at 1:00 p.m.
Columnist covering local government in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County from May 2019 through June 2023.
