Tennessee officials who reinspected the Bradley County Jail this month kept its certification in place despite a closed-down kitchen, some cells with no running water and a shortage of functional toilets, and chronic overcrowding.
After his Oct. 6 reinspection, Tennessee Corrections Institute inspector William R. Kane commended Sheriff Eric Watson, Corrections Capt. Gabe Thomas and jail staff for “correcting the operational deficiencies within their control” after the jail flunked its August annual inspection.
For instance, Kane wrote, the booking area is no longer being used for housing, the booking and inmate areas have been cleaned, showers, sinks and toilets repaired in some areas and lights cleaned, repaired or replaced.
He noted the jail is now documenting that inmates are receiving clothing, bedding and bathing supplies, and that hourly security checks are being conducted on a consistent basis and the observations are properly logged.
Kane also noted “the suicide observation and restraint chair checks are now being conducted within the specified time parameters.” The Aug. 15 inspection report said those checks were not being conducted at the specified times and the observations were “very vague.”