OKLAHOMA CITY — The person in charge of the day-to-day operations at the Oklahoma County Detention Center or Jail has resigned.
“Brandi Garner has submitted her resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma County Detention Center,” said Trust Chairman Joe Allbaugh. “Her service to the staff and residents is deeply appreciated. This job is extremely difficult and demanding on both the CEO and her family. As she finishes her tenure over the next 30 days, my fellow trustees and I will support her as she closes out important projects. The search for her replacement will begin immediately.”
Garner first came to the position from the Cleveland County Detention Center in May 2023 after the first CEO resigned in December 2022 amid harsh criticism of the Oklahoma County Jail.
“This decision has not been made lightly, nor is it a reaction to recent challenges,” said Garner in her resignation letter to the Trust and shared with the press. “It is the result of several weeks of careful deliberation and a desire to prioritize my family life, spiritual growth, and personal wellbeing.”
Over the years it has been clear that running the largest jail in the state is no small job. That has been true for Garner who seemed to have stood up to the role’s challenges better than previous administrators.
Deaths and failed health inspections
In recent months deaths at the jail have continued at a steady pace with the last one coming on January 8 when a detainee was found dead of unknown causes in his cell at the jail.
The jail has also failed the last ten health inspections carried out by the Oklahoma Department of Health, the last coming in December 2024.
Staff challenges
Issues with staff have added to the burden for Garner. A steady march of firings over the last several years has shown that issues with the detainees have not been the only challenge.
In October, former SSgt. Euitt Sharp, a detention officer at the jail, was arrested on a complaint of embezzling $549 from a detainee who was booked into the Jail in September.
Then, in November, a former Oklahoma County Jail detention officer who was fired in July for smuggling contraband into a state facility was booked for smuggling contraband into the Oklahoma County Jail.
Jail Trust challenges
Garner has managed to navigate the many challenges of running a jail for a board of trustees.
Previously, the Oklahoma County Sheriff ran the jail on their own and came to the Oklahoma County Budget Board for funding.
Then, in 2020, Oklahoma County moved to turn over operations of the jail to the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, or Jail Trust that would hire a CEO to run day-to-day operations at the jail.
As the first-ever jail CEO resigned in the Summer of 2023 resignations on the trust created stability issues in the entire operation. Garner’s hiring seemed to stabilize the jail as the County Commissioners found replacements for missing Trust members.
Grand jury recommends dissolution of Trust
In March 2023, the Multi-County Grand Jury recommended that the Jail Trust “self-terminate” and allow the running of the jail to be returned to the Sheriff’s Office.
Among the many problems with staffing and detainee deaths, the Grand Jury cited the inability to raise funds as one of the root problems for the jail.
Their view was that as long as there was not a tax base to fund the jail, operations there would be hampered by having to share county funds with the general budget of the county.
As Garner took on the role, she implemented reforms in the operation of the jail that addressed many of the problems cited by the Grand Jury.
But, Jail Trust members were clear and resolved that dissolution of the Trust was not going to address the issues that they were having.
The Jail Trust now begins its search for a new jail CEO.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
