Midland County Jail Fails State Inspection

MIDLAND, TX – The Midland County Jail is on the states Non-Compliant list after failing its most recent inspection in mid February. According to documents from the Texas Commission On Jail Standards report the jail currently lacks preventive maintenance that insures a safe, secure, and sanitary facility. These issues include some electrical work, multiple plumbing issues, a lack of hot water, as well as various sanitation issues. 

However, this isn't the first time the Midland County Jail has found itself on the states Non-Compliant list. Back in July of 2018 the jail was also on the list following an inspection after being short handed on full time maintenance workers, and previous underlying infrastructure issues. 

According to Brandon Wood, executive director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards,  the jail has "no more than a year to fix those issues and be re-inspected before that possibility could occur. Most county jails issued non-compliance notices choose to have another inspection much sooner, usually within 60 days of failing the first inspection."

Wood also states that sheriff’s offices have 30 days from the time they receive a non-compliance notice to submit a plan for corrective action, which TCJS reviews and then approves if it addresses all necessary areas. The Midland County Sheriff’s Office has not yet submitted that plan, Wood said, but they have until March 18 to do so.

Midland County Sheriff Richard Gillette says he "expects to have the repairs done and be re-inspected within a few months. We’ll get the problems fixed, we’ll get the jail re-inspected and we’ll move forward."

The Midland County Sheriffs Office states they are working with a local plumbing company to work on resolving their issues, but in the meantime they will be receiving assistance from  the County Facilities Department.