Vol 15 No 21
Sam Houston State University - A Member of the Text State University System
Texas Sheriffs wear many hats, including as Chief Operating Officer of the county jail system.
Newly elected Sheriffs throughout Texas were given a primer on how to effectively and efficiently operate county jails by the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT).
“It is the biggest liability issue that exists in the county,” said Brent Phillips, who has worn many hats, including as Sheriff of Trinity County, jail administrator of Polk County, and a board member for the Texas Jail Association, an organization for correctional officers that work in local jails. “It produces no funding, and it is the biggest drain there is in the system.”
About 20 Sheriffs attended the four-day professional development and training, which covered the wide array of issues that comes with operating a county jail. In addition to providing a general overview of jail operations and standards, there were special sessions on leadership, legal issues, con games, in-custody death issues, population control, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), human resources issues, staff training, budgets and contracts. Among the Sheriffs who presented and support the programs were Chris Kirk, Kelly Rowe, Greg Hamilton, and Clint McRae.
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