By Rebecca Aguilar
Senior Correspondent
The COVID19 out- break at the Denton County Jail has admin- istrators worried about the continued spread of the virus inside the facility. Denton County Assistant Chief Deputy Barry Caver told Texas Metro News that 466 inmates have been exposed to the illness out of the 1,081 housed in the facility.
“We currently have 30 inmates who have been tested and identified as being positive. Currently, we have four inmates that are in the hospital.”
Fourteen housing units called “pods” inside the jail are locked down or under medical observation. Jail administrators are trying to keep the inmates together who have been exposed to COVID19.
“If I have multiple inmates in that same pod test positive, and I run out of single cells to house them, we basically have to cohort. We have to cohort them together and let it run its course because it’s considered a hot zone,” says Caver.
Since the pandemic out- break, only one jail inmate has died of COVID19 complications. Caver said the 52-year-old inmate died in October 2020.
HOW DID COVID GET INSIDE THE JAIL
Chief Caver says there is no way of knowing how, when, or where the inmates were infected with the virus. He admits they’ve had to abandon medical protocols for new inmates coming into the jail because of a lack of detention officers. They used to isolate new inmates for 14 days if they had any symptoms of COVID19 before putting them in the general jail population.
“Unfortunately, due to our 115 vacancies, we had to close down parts of our jail, and we’re not able to use the same protocols,’ he added.
Now the inmates are tested if they have COVID appearing symptoms. The Denton County Health Department runs the infirmary in the jail, but they are also hurting for staff and any severe patients are sent to the local hospitals.
Caver says family members of the inmates who are sick are not exposed to the virus. Since 2014 the jail has only allowed video visitations and no in-person visitation. Attorneys, parole and probation officers, counselors and religious volunteers can visit inmates in person but must have their temperature taken before entering the facility.
Caver adds, “Very few attorneys are entering the jail and are doing their legal consultation by video visitation. Those who enter the jail have to talk to their clients through a clear glass and telephone receiver.”
INMATES AND EMPLOYEES ARE NOT MANDATED TO BE VACCINATED OR WEAR MASKS
The Denton County jail has offered free vaccinations to inmates and employees four times in the past few months, but they are not required to take the shot. Caver says only one-third of the inmates have volunteered to be vaccinated.
Inmates are offered masks to wear inside the jail, but they cannot be forced to wear one. The detention officers are also provided with personal protective equipment but are not mandated to wear PPE on the job.
“We allow them the option of what they choose to wear. Whether they want to wear full PPE or just the mask, or shield or whatever they choose to do,” said Caver, confirming that 12 detention officers are out sick with COVID. “We’ll never know whether they contracted COVID here or at the grocery store. It’s kind of hard to say they got it here. It’s possible, but there is not a way of knowing that for certain.”
Irma Sanchez of Dallas has a cousin who is a detention officer at the Denton County jail. He’s at home with COVID19 and she says she doesn’t understand why he won’t get vaccinated. “My cousin thinks he got it at the jail, and his doctor advised him that he’s probably going to keep getting sick if he doesn’t vaccinate.”
INMATES WITH COVID CAN APPEAR IN COURT OR BE RELEASED FROM JAIL
No matter how many measures the Denton County Sheriff’s Department puts in place to slow down or stop the spread of COVID, in some cases, administrators’ hands are tied. Inmates have rights, and the judges have to see their cases in court.
“If they are positive with COVID, obviously we can’t keep them in the jail if they have posted a bond or paid their fine,” said Chief Caver, adding that he understands how that may look to the community, but jail administrators cannot legally keep an inmate with COVID from being released when they have paid their bond. “Our county health department will do contact tracing and keep tabs on those folks and see where they are going.”
Inmates also are required to go before a Denton County judge on criminal charges. Not all judges in Denton County are having court over video platforms. Some have the lawyers and inmates appear in court in person.
According to Caver, in- mates are not checked for COVID before being taken to court, but judges are alerted if the inmate is coming from an isolated COVID area from the jail. “The court is notified, and it’s the judge’s decision on how to proceed with the case. Some cases have been conducted over Zoom.”
NOT ENOUGH MANPOWER IN JAIL, BIGGEST STRESS ON DEPARTMENT
“This has been probably the biggest manpower strain that the department has ever seen,” said Caver, pointing out that the detention officers who are working at the jail are currently working overtime as much as they want. “We are constantly moving people around to fill positions to make this place run…because we need the help.”
Aside from the 12 officers currently out for COVID ill- nesses, Caver says some officers have taken a leave from work for emotional and psychological reasons.
The Denton County jail can house 1450 inmates, and maybe it’s fortunate that they are not full to capacity right now.
“We’re doing the best we can in the confines of the jail environment…,” added Caver. “We’re trying to treat the system and take care of the inmates as best we can.”
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