Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Criminal Justice topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Graham County detention center wins innovation award; officials highlight reentry work
Summary
Sheriff Allred told the Board of Supervisors the Graham County Detention Center received a statewide innovation award; board members praised the facility's reentry program and staff, and jail commander TJ Perez was credited for leadership.
Sheriff Allred told the Graham County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 21 that the county detention center received a statewide "innovation of the year" recognition for improvements to the facility and its programs.
The sheriff highlighted the work of jail commander TJ Perez and staff, including a detention "academy" for cadets and daily efforts to comply with policies and mandates. "TJ and his crew work very hard daily," Sheriff Allred said, and he credited Jeff and Cindy for operational oversight.
Supervisor remarks at the meeting emphasized praise for the detention center's reentry program, which the board said provides life skills and counseling intended to reduce repeat incarceration. "Giving people some life skills and some counseling rather than just saying 'here's your clothes ... see you later' ... does make a difference," one supervisor said, commending the program as showing "care and compassion above and beyond the incarceration." The board thanked detention staff and noted the department is a community asset.
The sheriff noted staffing challenges and turnover but said the command team's leadership has improved the facility's performance over time. The meeting record shows public commendations and a standing acknowledgment from the board; no formal action was required.
Officials also noted an ongoing detention academy for cadets and daytime operations that involve training and computer-based study. The discussion closed with multiple board members offering thanks to sheriff's personnel for their service to Graham County.
