By BJ Austin, KERA News
Dallas, TX – The Dallas County jail has finally passed state inspection. The last time that happened was in 2003.
There was a last minute glitch with smoke detection and evacuation equipment in one area. But Sheriff Lupe Valdez agreed not to use those 24 beds for the next month while repairs are being made. And the jail passed inspection.
Valdez: Our facilities had to retrofit the smoke evacuation. And after 17 years of it not being touched, or repaired, or worked on, they had to do a lot of work to bring it up to compliance.
Adan Munoz, director of the Commission on Jail Standards, says he doesn't know how the jail passed inspections prior to 2004. He says there was major deterioration, and the problems took years to fix. Munoz says Dallas County has done a good job.
The County spent nearly 200 million dollars to improve fire safety, medical care, sanitation and staffing.