The man in charge of day-to-day operations at the Tarrant County Jail has retired, capping a tumultuous six weeks for the jail, where three people have died in custody.
Executive Chief Deputy Charles Eckert “retired very honorably,” Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) spokesperson Robbie Hoy wrote in an email. He has run the jail since December 2020, but he’s worked for the TCSO for 32 years, he told KERA in an interview in March.
“He just won administrator of the year in Texas and has many other positive accomplishments during his tenure. He will be missed and we wish him the absolute best in his retirement,” Hoy wrote.
Eckert told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram his retirement had nothing to do with recent jail deaths.
In April, a prisoner named Anthony Johnson Jr. died after a jailer knelt on his back while he was restrained on the ground. Johnson’s family demanded information about what happened to him for weeks. Members of the public and County Commissioner Alisa Simmons called for Sheriff Bill Waybourn to resign.
Simmons told KERA Wednesday night the TCSO needs a top-to-bottom leadership change.
“The voters will get to decide that when it comes time to elect the sheriff in November,” she said.
Simmons called Eckert’s departure an opportunity for “innovative, progressive” leadership to prevent deaths.
"People should not come to jail and end up deceased on a pretty frequent basis," she said.
Hoy’s statement did not mention Simmons, but it did address unnamed critics of Eckert.
“Anyone who would speak negatively about Chief Eckert’s service is clearly misinformed or being divisive,” he wrote.
More than 60 people have died in county custody since Waybourn took office in 2017. Waybourn has blamed the spike in deaths on drugs and people’s bad health when they enter jail.
Earlier this week, a former jailer pleaded guilty to lying about checking on a prisoner who later died. The county has paid out $2.8 million in settlements in recent years over lawsuits regarding deaths, alleged misconduct and neglect in the jail.
Got a tip? Email Miranda Suarez at msuarez@kera.org. You can follow Miranda on X @MirandaRSuarez.
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