Cameron County commissioners court – trying to deal with a projected shortfall of between $2.5 and $3 million as a result of the removal of federal prisoners form Cameron County detention centers – will be briefed by legal counsel on the state of negotiations with the U.S. Marshal's Service – to bring them back to county detention centers.
Already, the shortage of federal funds forced the commissioners to the county commissioners have place a freeze on filling any vacancies in the Sheriff's Department that includes between 70 to 80 jailers and deputies.
And Sheriff Eric Garza and the department are caught in a dilemma.
The removal of the federal prisoners by the U.S. Marshal's Service came about as a result of the jails' failure to pass inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). But now that the jails have passed a re-inspection, Garza cannot fill the slots because his efforts to recruit jailers has failed to attract applicants because of what some call a "hostile working environment" and low jailer wages compared to neighboring counties.
As it is, the court was using the federal funds to pay for overtime for the remaining jailers, but since Garza and his chief deputy Robert Gracia got the federal prisoners removed the county, the court now needs to find money to pay for the overtime, a jail staffer said.
"As it is now, jailers are working 12 hours a day because of the lack of manpower and putting in four hours a day overtime. The county suddenly finds itself some $2.5 to $3 million in the hole."
Even before Garza cam on board, the operation and funding of the jails have always been an albatross hanging around the neck of former sheriffs. The presence of jail gangs like La Eme, the Texas Syndicate, Los Vallucos, Sureños, and others have led to riots, fights, escapes, the killing of a civilian by an escapee, and control of some jail cells by these groups.
Now, with the hiring freeze in place, the remaining jail staff find that they have their hands full controlling the remaining prisoners.
The problem started when Garza and Gracia took over the department and started the wholesale removal and/or transfer of the staff, sometimes based on whether they had supported Garza or former sheriff Omar Lucio.
This was compounded by the fact that Gracia assumed authority as chief deputy when he was not even a county employee or had a Texas peace officer certification. In fact, it would be three months after they took over on January 2021 that he was formally hired, and the same amount of time that he passed his certification exams that allowed him to fill the job description as chief deputy.
The apparent retaliation against Lucio supporters has led to a series of lawsuits against the sheriff and the county in state and federal courts. In fact, the federal lawsuit filed by Sgt. Rodrigo Almanza for political retaliation is set for this month (July).
And since Gracia was not a county employee when the events mentioned in the lawsuit occurred, the commissioners voted not to have the county defend him citing exposing the county unnecessarily to liability. It didn't help that Garza's demands reached a point where he demanded – by pounding his fist on the table during a meeting with the commissioners – that they give him the funds to pay the jailers more money and attract recruits."
(For months now, the department and courthouse have been rife with rumor of Gracia's imminent departure from his position. Some said in the coming weeks, others next month.)
"Sheriff Garza should have known better," said a county staffer. "He had been district clerk for four years and knew the budget process. But something happened to Eric when he became sheriff. He changed and has become very demanding and authoritative. The commissioners didn't like that."
The commissioners – without Garza's participation – are trying to reach a deal with the U.S. Marshal's Service to return the federal prisoners in time for the coming budget year. But until then, the department will have to operate with the short staff and try to attract jailers into its ranks.
"Until then, it's going to be hard for the remaining jailers," said a sheriff's department staffer. "We're caught between a rock and a hard place."
18 comments:
Hay un gran fraude en el pueblo, Juan. Esta semana pasada conoci a una mujer que al fin del dia me robo. La cabrona se me hecho como miel en un pancake. Besos y abrazos y mas besos.
Cuando yo dormia despues de una buena comida y mejor cojida, se metio en mi cartera y me dejo en quiebra.
Cuidado, hermanos.
Se ven amables y buenas, pero son jambonas. Esta se llamaba Petra. o, me dijo, Petrita.
The First Asian American Woman Just Won Miss Texas USA
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MESKIN WINNER porque?
You can't blame the Feds if they don't want to put their prisoners in the hands of incompetent administrators or jailers? Garza reminds me of that worthless senile POS in the White House, who has fucked everything. The county officials are concerned about giving an office to Congresswoman Mayra Flores when they should be concerned about evicting a worthless Sheriff in Garza.
They only want the feds back because that money affects cameron county not just the S.O. people really should educate themselves on the facts instead of running with rumors.
Delgado 1
Garza 0
Enjoy your moment Garza/Gracia, your time is coming
10:54AM, you said it correctly
No one owes Fake Republican Mayra Flores an office!
Have her move a used fucking trailer to town! Republicans play dirty, so should Demos.
set up a tent maricona or pawn you plastic AK
Fact: federal inmates had been removed prior the new Sheriif.
County Judge and the Commissioners are responsible for not only giving better pay to the Jailers but to the Deputies.
All citizens should vote out the County Judge and Commissioners who do not or refuse to pay a higher wage to employees that deserve it!
Me thinks it damages their bond rating for the toll projects and the select few that profit from it. Fund balance has plenty too see them through the lean times. It’s a shell game. Cost’s more to house a contracted inmate than the county receives.
Look it up, it’s public information.
c/s
Very true federal inmates had been taken away when Lucio was in office, so wth are you talking about, lame county judge plus commissioners should be ashamed of themselves PERIOD they are all enjoying that Musk money while deputies, jailers, all county employees have to over work themselves just to make ends meet. Look at S. Benavides always out and about fishing with her daughter, Trevino all in love with Musk oh and his GF, Lopez well he's just dumb and Garza c'mon man retire already you grumpy old fart. So who is wrong here??
Senior Investigators at the Sheriff's Office driving 2008 units while Garza's clerks drive brand new undercover units..what a fucking joke you are Eric
Poor Eric, who would have guessed where he would end up. What’s the saying about power corrupting? He just had to keep reaching for power, money and prestige. He was alright as District Clerk. Nothing special nothing extraordinary. Paper-pusher not particularly smart or charismatic. He could have put in a few more years there and ran for commissioner or judge. But he got someone in his ear (or wherever) & now he’s fucked. He’ll be lucky to be elected dog catcher after this. He threw away the rest of his career. Well at least he’s not indicted. Yet.
The all want to come here. WHY? ESCAPE!!!!!
"The First Asian American Woman Just Won Miss Texas USA
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A MESKIN WINNER porque?" To answer your question, when was the last time you saw a pretty MESKIN?
@july6 0900 well said. These cheap ass commissioners need to fuck off. They are enjoying money that needs to go to hard working ppl and not pieces of shits like them. All these years they have been robbing us. They wouldn't stand 1 damn day in our shoes. And we are trying to make ends meet for our family while things are rising but yet we get up to work because if we miss one day that takes from our pockets. They just steal and enjoy what's not thiers. Fuck them all. Every single one of them. They need to give us a raise for once.
This situation will never be resolved NEVER the county monkeys must act to make a change.
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