The Oklahoma County jail has failed another health inspection, revealing significant safety and protocol issues, including inadequate suicide watch measures and overcrowding.
Oklahoma County jail fails another health inspection
The Oklahoma County jail has failed another health inspection, revealing significant safety and protocol issues, including inadequate suicide watch measures and overcrowding.
NEW AT SIX. THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY JAIL HAS FAILED YET ANOTHER HEALTH INSPECTION. THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS NOT JUST A LACK OF INMATE SAFETY, BUT ALSO A LACK OF PROTOCOLS BEING FOLLOWED BY STAFF. OUR EVAN ONSTOT JOINING US NOW IN THE NEWSROOM. AND, EVAN, SOME SOME SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS IN THIS REPORT. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LISTED MULTIPLE CONCERNS, INCLUDING THAT LACK OF SAFETY CHECKS, SOME SANITATION ISSUES, EVEN MISSING RECORDS FOR MULTIPLE INMATES. IN THIS REPORT, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS THEY ALSO FOUND PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND STAFFING SHORTAGES, SAYING THE STAFF TO INMATE RATIO REMAINS DANGEROUSLY LOW. THE REPORT ALSO DESCRIBES OVERCROWDED CELLS WITH NO TEMPORARY SLEEPING SOLUTIONS. ONE THING THAT REALLY JUMPED OUT WAS WHAT THE REPORT DESCRIBED AS SERIOUS GAPS IN THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY JAILS SUICIDE WATCH PRECAUTIONS, INCLUDING MISSING ENTRIES FOR REQUIRED 15 MINUTE CHECKS FOR THOSE INMATES. SOME GAPS RANGING FROM 15 MINUTES ALL THE WAY UP TO SEVERAL HOURS. ONE SHEET SHOWED MISSING RECORDS FOR MORE THAN 160 SAFETY CHECKS, AND SOME OF THESE MISSING CHECKS INCLUDED FOR HIGH RISK INMATES. SO THIS MARKS AT LEAST A DOZEN FAILED INSPECTIONS AT THE JAIL. MANY OF THOSE WERE BECAUSE INSPECTORS WERE NOT EVEN ALLOWED INSIDE. OKLAHOMA COUNTY IS, OF COURSE, IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING AND BUILDING A NEW JAIL. BUT THAT BUILDING IS STI
Oklahoma County jail fails another health inspection
The Oklahoma County jail has failed another health inspection, revealing significant safety and protocol issues, including inadequate suicide watch measures and overcrowding.
The Oklahoma County Detention Center has failed another health inspection, with the report highlighting significant safety concerns and a lack of protocol adherence by staff.>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelThe Oklahoma State Department of Health's report lists multiple issues, including a lack of safety checks, sanitation concerns and missing records for several inmates. The State Department of Health also identified problems with property management and staffing shortages, noting that the staff-to-inmate ratio remains dangerously low. The report describes overcrowded cells with no temporary sleeping solutions.One alarming finding was the serious gaps in the jail's suicide watch precautions, with missing entries for required 15-minute checks for specific inmates. Some gaps ranged from 15 minutes to several hours, and one sheet showed missing records for more than 160 safety checks, including for high-risk inmates.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.This marks at least a dozen failed inspections at the jail, with many previous inspections hindered because inspectors were not allowed inside. Oklahoma County is currently in the process of designing and building a new jail, but that facility is still years away from completion.Top Headlines WATCH: Confirmed tornado spotted near Ringwood Anne Burrell, 'Worst Cooks in America' host and Food Network star, dies at 55 Judge dismisses lawsuit on controversial social studies standards OKC police prepare for celebrations if Thunder clinch NBA title Former AG plans to appeal social studies standards suit dismissal Georgia woman declared brain dead delivers baby
OKLAHOMA CITY —
The Oklahoma County Detention Center has failed another health inspection, with the report highlighting significant safety concerns and a lack of protocol adherence by staff.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
The Oklahoma State Department of Health's report lists multiple issues, including a lack of safety checks, sanitation concerns and missing records for several inmates.
The State Department of Health also identified problems with property management and staffing shortages, noting that the staff-to-inmate ratio remains dangerously low.
The report describes overcrowded cells with no temporary sleeping solutions.
One alarming finding was the serious gaps in the jail's suicide watch precautions, with missing entries for required 15-minute checks for specific inmates. Some gaps ranged from 15 minutes to several hours, and one sheet showed missing records for more than 160 safety checks, including for high-risk inmates.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
This marks at least a dozen failed inspections at the jail, with many previous inspections hindered because inspectors were not allowed inside.
Oklahoma County is currently in the process of designing and building a new jail, but that facility is still years away from completion.
Top Headlines
- WATCH: Confirmed tornado spotted near Ringwood
- Anne Burrell, 'Worst Cooks in America' host and Food Network star, dies at 55
- Judge dismisses lawsuit on controversial social studies standards
- OKC police prepare for celebrations if Thunder clinch NBA title
- Former AG plans to appeal social studies standards suit dismissal
- Georgia woman declared brain dead delivers baby
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