After over a decade of failing to meet minimum standards during annual inspections, the Hamilton County Jail reached an important certification milestone, the Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
The Tennessee Corrections Institute, which certifies facilities and upholds jail standards across the state, voted to release the Hamilton County Jail from a plan of action in April. The vote came after the facility followed all necessary steps to be released, according to a Sheriff’s Office press release posted to Facebook.
A plan of action allows a facility to maintain certified status while correcting deficiencies found during annual inspections, the press release said, and the jail has remained on a plan of action since 2014.
The Sheriff’s Office said the board’s decision reflects the agency’s continued work to strengthen jail operations, accountability and professional standards. In a written statement, Sheriff Austin Garrett said the release from the plan of action reflects his agency’s commitment to the safe and constitutional operation of the jail.
The press release said no further details were available. The Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to an emailed question asking what minimum standards at the jail were not being met during the plan of action’s implementation.
— Compiled by Mason Edwards
