OCDC Jail Trust Dispute

The levels of acrimony at the monthly meetings of the Oklahoma County Jail Trust are palpable. 

"Now what are you all going to do? You suck at this! Bring in the professionals for god's sakes.” says Sean Cummings, long-time restaurateur in Oklahoma City.

Cummings is also a member of a group that calls itself "The People's Council for Justice Reform." That group took aim at the 9-member Jail Trust shortly after they took over operation of the beleaguered 33-year-old Oklahoma County Jail in July of 2020.  

“There are ways for this to work, but first you folks have to admit you have been absolute failures.” says Cummings.

The jail has been plagued by an acceleration in jail deaths in recent years. 16 inmates died last year alone, and the jail is fraught with the proliferation of illegal drugs, including fentanyl. 

"President John Adams said it best, ‘facts are stubborn things.’ That's it, we must go with the facts, not with our superstition, not with our friends wants or anything else. Look at the evidence, look at the math, it is clear more people have died under their leadership than the sheriff's office. We need accountability, not a corporate structure running this.” says Christopher Johnson, Member of People’s Council for Justice Reform.

A few weeks ago, a damning grand jury report revealed alarming findings after a 14-month investigation, that included proof that illegal gang members had been hired as guards in the jail. The grand jury also suggested the jail trust - which is composed of volunteers, should turn jail operations over to Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson, who sits on the Jail Trust.

"I want to do all I can for the Jail Trust. I want to pay these employees everything they deserve. But being realistic, I don't see how we get there as a county.” says Sheriff Tommie Johnson.

Sheriff Johnson tells OETA that he's willing to face all of his responsibilities, whatever they may be-- but that his allegiance is with the majority in the Jail Trust. For decades, the Oklahoma County Jail was operated by the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office. It was also a period that included other state and federal investigations into the sheriff’s operation of the jail.

The underlying constant through all of is that more than three decades ago, Oklahoma County built a substandard, under-funded 13-floor jail and critics say it has failed the county at every turn.

"We would argue that you are all moving in the right direction.” says Tim Tardibono, Executive Director of the Oklahoma County Criminal Advisory Council.

Tardibono is an attorney and has been monitoring the jail since it was built in 1990. He argued Monday the Jail Trust should stay in place and he says he wasn't surprised at the recent grand jury's findings.

"The grand jury process is supposed to be investigatory and it's not like a courtroom where you have the defense puts up its side and the prosecution puts on a side. It's only looking at what are those items of investigation and what is the evidence that supports that investigation.” says Tardibono

People's Council members say what the grand jury recommends should be followed.

"They clearly stated that the jail trust must be dissolved. While the people sitting on the Jail Trust thinks that doesn't apply to them that they are above the law, they are not.” says Mark Faulk, member of People’s Council for Justice Reform

“And we had a multi-county grand jury confirm that the conditions have deteriorated and escalated.  These guys came in to make things better. The reality is the facts are things aren't better, but they continue to deflect.” says Sara Bana, member of People's Council for Justice Reform.

One thing both sides in this dispute agree on is that Brandi Garner, the woman the Jail Trust hired on an interim basis to run the jail last December, is doing a good job of restoring order. It's a daunting challenge, considering there's an everyday average of 1,528 jail detainee, and more than eleven hundred report they lack a high school diploma or a GED, and many deal with some sort of mental illness.

"Ideally, I would like to get our staff up to at least a starting wage of forty-five thousand dollars a year.” says Brandi Garner, Interim CEO, Oklahoma County Jail.

The reality is, starting guard pay at the jail is just over thirty-seven thousand dollars, and that may not change anytime soon. Garner says she's making headway in eliminating unwanted staff members and the illegal drugs that have permeated this outdated facility for years.

The good news: a new single level Oklahoma County Jail, paid for by a 260 million dollar bond county voters approved last summer is expected to be complete in about three years, and it will include a mental health wing, something the present jail sorely lacks.

"This is the important thing to look at. We have personnel in place that are making the right decisions, moving in the right direction, and as you've seen here today, everyone is in agreement Brandi Garner should be doing what she is doing. So, the ship is slowly moving and being pointed in the right direction.  This isn't the time to abandon that and go back to what you know did not work.” says Tardibono.

This story was made possible by the generous support of OETA members. You can become a member of OETA and support in-depth work like this and other local, state and national news programs found on your favorite public television station.