OKLAHOMA CITY — Wednesday, the Oklahoma State Supreme Court issued an opinion supporting surprise state health inspections of the Oklahoma County Jail, a practice the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority (OCCJA) had challenged in court.
The OCCJA took over operations of the Oklahoma County Detention Center, or Jail, from the sheriff on July 1, 2020.
The series of court duels between the OCCJA and the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) that led up to the decision started after a string of bad reports from OSDH surprise health inspections created compounding embarrassment to the OCCJA.
The OCCJA first challenged the practice in Oklahoma County District Court, but in several twists and turns, the question ended up before the Oklahoma State Supreme Court.
The OCCJA had claimed in its argument before the courts that surprise inspections were not allowed by statute.
They also argued that the surprise inspections resulted in a serious and dangerous staff shortage at the jail when they occurred. The OCCJA argued that for the safety of the staff and detainees, they needed the OSDH to notify them ahead of time so they could add staff for the inspection.
Wednesday, the Supreme Court declared that Oklahoma statutes clearly allow for surprise inspections along with announced inspections, each kind contributing to a more accurate appraisal of health conditions in Oklahoma’s jails.
It is now clear that the OCCJA will have to comply with surprise health inspections by the OSDH.
Find the full court opinion HERE.
Background
The OCCJA has been the operator of the Oklahoma County Jail since July 1, 2020, when it took over from the Oklahoma County Sheriff.
The change was in response to a series of problems at the jail that an advisory group believed could be addressed by forming an authority or trust to take over the jail’s operations. But, to date, problems and detainee deaths have continued.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
