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Coryell County sheriff warns jail overcrowding and failing air handlers create safety, health and logistics crisis
Summary
The sheriff told the Commissioners Court the county is near or over capacity in its jail, is spending heavily on out‑of‑county housing, and that failing air handlers will require depopulation and temporary transfers while repairs are made.
Sheriff (name not specified) told the Coryell County Commissioners Court the county jail is near or at capacity and that recent days have forced staff to move inmates around constantly to find beds.
The sheriff said the jail recently held 137 inmates with seven waiting in Copperas Cove and that some days the county has more than 180 inmates housed out of county. "We're already out of compliance. That would have been pretty catastrophic for us," he said, adding that contractors who normally accept inmates statewide have little capacity right now.
Why it matters: Court members pressed for short‑term options — temporary transfers, use of other counties, and renting beds — while the sheriff continued to press for a new county facility. The…
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