As overcrowding at the Potter County Jail escalates, local officials are moving forward with a plan to create a committee to evaluate expansion options. Jail capacity has been pushed to its limits, forcing the county to secure additional space for inmates in other facilities (some more than four hours away), increasing transportation costs and straining resources.
Underscoring the urgency, Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner said, “We can no longer overcrowd our jail. Inevitably we have to do something to address this.” Currently, the prison houses 639 inmates, of which 87 are women and more than 82% are charged with crimes. This total is just 5% below the maximum capacity allowed by law, while the jail is already slightly above the threshold for misdemeanor cases.
In response, county commissioners on Tuesday approved a new contract with Runnels County to house additional Potter County inmates, providing temporary relief to the overcrowded facility. However, this arrangement poses logistical challenges due to Runnels County’s location south of San Angelo, requiring a two-day round trip to transport inmates to and from the facility. “The bad thing about this one is it’s way south,” said Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas. “Every time we transport prisoners, it’s a two-day trip: we take them there and come back.”
Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas discusses jail overcrowding with the Potter County Commissioners’ Court during an earlier meeting in June in downtown Amarillo.
Potter County also uses space in other counties, including Childress, Garza, Scurry and Lynn counties, with 41 out-of-county inmates currently incarcerated. Texas Jail Standards officials have recommended additional southern facilities, though they are all a similar distance away.
Thomas emphasized the increased strain this situation has placed on his staff, explaining that the need to transport prisoners such distances has created increased overtime and workload for his officers. “We spend more on transporting prisoners than on housing them locally. Our officers are working six to seven days a week, some in double shifts, to make up for the shortage.”
To tackle overcrowding locally, the province has set up a committee to investigate the possibilities for expanding the prison. This committee will include representatives from the community and various departments, and they are expected to consider financing solutions, including certificates of obligation (COs). “With one of our prior obligations about to be paid off, we will have access to funds without raising the tax rate,” Tanner noted, emphasizing the need for an approach that would not burden taxpayers.
Turn Key healthcare for prisoners
Amid efforts to manage capacity, Potter County recently contracted Oklahoma-based Turn Key Health Clinics to improve health care for inmates. The contract was awarded following a competitive assessment, with TurnKey emerging as the top choice out of three providers. “We vetted three different companies and TurnKey came out on top,” Thomas said. “I believe they will provide the quality care our inmates need, and we are excited to have them come on board. They will start in January.”
However, Turn Key’s track record has raised some concerns. Research by The Marshall Project and The Frontier has found that at least 50 people have died under TurnKey’s care in the past decade. Their reporting shows that company policies and practices have put people in prison, especially those with mental illness, at risk. While these findings have raised community concerns, Thomas assured residents that Potter County will be closely monitoring TurnKey’s performance. “It is a one- or two-year contract with an option to extend, so we will be assessing their work closely,” he said.
Committee and community involvement
For both Tanner and Thomas, the formation of the expansion committee represents a crucial step forward. County commissioners will appoint representatives from each county, along with additional members from the Sheriff’s Office and the Purchasing Department. According to Thomas, this approach has been effective on previous projects, including the construction of administrative buildings in the province.
“We’re not trying to tear anything down; we are just trying to add something to meet the demand,” Thomas explains. “When we took community members on a tour of our old facility years ago, they saw firsthand why we needed an upgrade. It’s the same situation here. We want to be transparent about why we need this expansion, and we want the support of the community.”
The committee is expected to make recommendations quickly. Tanner and Thomas expressed hope for a solution that balances immediate needs with long-term consequences and maintains transparency to the public.
Looking ahead: balancing costs and needs
The new agreement with Runnels County, the partnership with TurnKey and the work of the upcoming committee represent important steps in the county’s efforts to address correctional infrastructure needs.
While the expansion project will require significant investment, both Tanner and Thomas see it as a necessity. “This expansion can’t happen fast enough,” Tanner said, citing overcrowding and transportation costs as immediate concerns.
Thomas added: “We are working hard to find a sustainable solution that does not impose unnecessary burdens on taxpayers. I would love to build a brand new facility, but that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. At this time, expansion is our best option to keep costs under control.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Potter County faces critical jail overcrowding and talks of expansion
