Oklahoma County sheriff lauds accreditation of county jail

Accreditation by American Correctional Association is a first for the county and means less liability for lawsuits and another step toward full compliance with U.S. Department of Justice standards, Whetsel said.

“This accreditation is a testament to the professionalism and hard work of our employees,” he said. “Under the leadership of (jail administrator) Maj. Jack Herron, our employees have transformed our jail into an exemplary example, a benchmark for detention centers on the national level.”

Whetsel said the county has worked for years to address dozens of operational deficiencies outlined by the Justice Department in 2007. While significant facility deficiencies remain, he said, the new accreditation marks compliance with the operational ones.

Whetsel told The Oklahoman in April that his office has injected upward of $10 million into capital improvements at the facility since the federal department issued its findings.

Among steps taken: About 60 new jailers and other staff were hired and a bar code system now computerizes hourly inmate sight checks. The facility has also initiated an inmate security classification system, and a new camera system allows jail staff to monitor most of the facility remotely.

The sheriff's department also brought on a new medical contractor, which initiated an electronic medical record system and enacted new urgent care and assessment policies, Whetsel said.

He said Tuesday the office may be “just weeks away” from receiving national accreditation for its health and mental health care operations.

“The only thing we have left yet now are the facilities. At this time, an architectural firm is reviewing space requirements, need, cost estimates and other information before making a recommendation on remodeling the current jail or recommending a new one.”