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Inspection finds BCSO had prior evidence of inmates' escape plan

The report detailed two areas for corrective measures, which Sheriff Javier Salazar says will be implemented.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Adult Detention Center (ADC) received a Notice of Non-Compliance from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards after last month’s jailbreak which found that BCSO had evidence of a planned escape but failed to stop it.

According to the report, regular and irregular searches of inmates for contraband weren't conducted from April 2017 to August 2017 but a search in August was conducted because BCSO had evidence that inmates were planning to escape.

From the report (emphasis ours):

"The contraband searches conducted in August were a direct result of evidence located outside the facility which lead officials to believe inmates were throwing handmade lines to the ground in order to obtain items or objects from outside the facility. Several lengths of handmade lines were located were located as well as non-jail issued items. It was also discovered during this search that the metal mesh surrounding the recreation area had been cut, leaving a hole through which the inmates were able to throw their handmade lines to the ground. The contraband search conducted in January 2018 occurred as a direct result of obtaining information regarding an escape plan. The next contraband search occurred in March 2018, after the escape occurred."

The results of a special inspection of the jail show the two areas for corrective measures.

The Bexar County Jail has been ordered to change the way inmates are allowed to use exercise space. It had been determined that too many inmates were using the area at one time, in violation of state safety standards.

In response, the sheriff’s office said it has created placards detailing the specific rules for that unit regarding inmate standards. The placards will specifically show the number of inmates to be allowed in the exercise area.

The second issue was that there were not regular and irregular searches for contraband. In particular, the report states that there were not enough contraband searches between April and August 2017 in the unit that the three inmates would eventually escape from. There also was no contraband search of the area in February 2018, the month before the escape.

Sheriff Javier Salazar released the following statement on Wednesday:

“Having passed our two latest annual inspections, being in compliance is our number one priority. Since the escape, we had undertaken an exhaustive top to bottom inspection of our facility, as well as implementing new security protocols. We look forward to presenting our findings to TCJS as soon as possible, and working with them to regain our compliance status without delay.”

FOR THE FULL REPORT, READ BELOW OR CLICK HERE:

TCJS Inspection Findings Response - 4.4.2018 by KENS 5 on Scribd

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