Jail passes inspection after Judge’s concerns

The Hays County Jail passed an unannounced on-site visit from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) last week following a request for investigation from Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra.

Becerra called for the inspection after he was unable to tour the jail to investigate conditions.

“Judge Becerra expressed concerns about the living conditions within the jail facility in several social media posts beginning late last week,” Sheriff Gary Cutler said. “Unfortunately, Judge Becerra would not share those specific concerns with anyone in the sheriff’s office, including the captain in charge.”

Cutler said, without knowing the items in question or any evidence of problems, he and his staff were unable to address and correct any alleged issues.

Becerra said that he received reports from attorneys, employees, inmates and community members of nonfunctional toilets, lack of airflow, broken walls, exposed construction material and “a putrid smell of swamp gas in the jail cells.”

“Unable to walk-thru the county jail to confirm for myself the conditions reported, I ask that the Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspect the facility to ensure that the conditions mentioned abov have been corrected in our county jail,” Becerra said in a letter to TCJS Executive Director Brandon Wood on March 15.

“It’s very alarming that they won’t let the county judge in to inspect,” Becerra told the San Marcos Daily Record. “That type of behavior is indicative of having something to hide ... I’m the chief budget officer, I want to verify use of bond money, use of taxpayer dollars, verify all county employees are property cared for.”

An inspector from TCJS determined that no technical assistance was required, and the Hays County Jail was found to be 100 percent in compliance with all minimum standards as required by the state agency, according to the sheriff's office.

The new jail, which was funded by the $65.1 million of the $106.4 million dollar public safety bond passed by Hays County voters in 2016, has been occupied since January 2021 after multiple days of inspections by the TCJS. There was also an annual inspection in September of 2020, which only suggested renovations to the showers in the old jail facility.

“While we continue to work with our contractor to address minor construction issues, there are no major mechanical issues linked to the expansion and renovation project that would decrease the humane treatment of our inmates,” Cutler said. He expects the renovations to be completed by the summer.

“While I was not surprised about the outcome of the site visit, I am grateful to the hardworking men and women of the Hays County Sheriff’s Office, who take care of the facility and its residents, for their continued dedication to meeting all jail standards,” Cutler said.

Last Friday, Cutler announced the return of on-site visitation at the Hays

County Jail beginning March 22. For more information, visit the Hays County Sheriff’s Office website at hayscountytx.com/law-enforcement/sheriff/.