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Van Zandt County sheriff says commissary and inmate phone system will switch vendors Aug. 12
Summary
Sheriff Kevin Bridger told the Van Zandt County Commissioners Court the jail will change commissary and inmate phone vendors and described the services vendors will provide, including debit cards, kiosks, video visits and educational content.
Sheriff Kevin Bridger told the Van Zandt County Commissioners Court on Thursday that the county jail will change its commissary and inmate phone systems, effective Aug. 12, and that the sheriff—s office will work with All Star Commissaries and a phone-system vendor to implement the new services.
Bridger said the switch requires notification to the court but that the sheriff has authority to select commissary vendors and sign the related contract. "By law, the sheriff has control over deciding on who the commissary is and signing that contract to the commissioner's court," Bridger said.
Richard, a representative of All Star Commissaries, described the vendor—s software and logistics. "The commissary is just a clean source out of county jail. We supply anywhere from garden items, hygiene items, mailing products, cigarette bars, chips," he said. Richard said the vendor—s software tracks inmate account balances from booking through release, applies charges for medical or jail damages as directed by the sheriff—s office and weekly-fulfills orders from a warehouse in Poncerville, Texas.
Doug, identified as a representative of CIC (phone/video services), said the county—s new phone system will allow inmates to place calls, exchange text messages, send and receive pictures and do video visits with family. "They can take GED prep class on there. They can learn to take these GED prep classes," Doug said, describing educational content and incentives for good behavior.
Bridger and vendor representatives said the commissary program is self-funding and does not change the county budget. Richard described the vendor—s debit-card option as a way to reduce outstanding release checks, saying the card helps address uncashed checks that remain on county accounts for years.
The court did not take additional action during the presentation; Bridger said the change is an advisory to the court and the sheriff will proceed under his statutory authority.
The court also discussed the county—s obligations under a statewide automated victim notification service agreement (a separate agenda item) and plans to educate jail staff about reporting and data flows related to inmate releases.
The county did not provide statutory citations in the meeting for the sheriff—s procurement authority, and Bridger said the commissary contract must be revisited at least once every five years.
