SAN ANTONIO — An uncomfortable experience for workers and some inmates in the Bexar County Jail.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office says the jail annex lost AC on Friday, and the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County says parts of the main jail were impacted.
BCSO says the units were repaired on Saturday, but the union says it points to a larger issue within the jail.
“I understand the floors were sweating, that’s how hot it was in there, being a concrete building, the concrete was sweating,” Ronald Tooke, President of the DSABC told KENS 5.
He says the jail annex and parts of two main jail towers had lost air conditioning over the weekend. The Sheriff’s Office says they used industrial sized fans and a large chiller to cool the building back down.
According to a sheriff’s office spokesperson, inmates were moved to working units or portable ACs were provided to remain in compliance with TCJS standards. The state requires temperatures in jails be kept between 65 and 85 degrees.
“This is an ongoing issue with the adult detention center…it’s very troublesome to see—I can’t just imagine the temperatures inside that jail,” Tooke said.
The Sheriff’s Office says 13 units were impacted, which can hold up to 64 inmates each, or more than 800 total. A spokesperson says all AC units were up and running on Wednesday. Tooke hopes that facilities staff will be able to prevent the issue from happening again.
“The employees don’t have a choice, they can’t go in their car and turn on their AC, and definitely, the inmates don’t have a choice. Is that troublesome? Absolutely it is,” Tooke said.