TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — The man in charge of day-to-day operations at the Tarrant County Jail has retired. The announcement of Tarrant County Jail Executive Chief Deputy of Confinement Charles Eckert comes amid a string of inmate deaths at the jail.
The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, though, said in a statement that Eckert “retired very honorably” after working for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office for 32 years.
“He just won administrator of the year in Texas and has many other positive accomplishments during his tenure. He will be missed and we wish him the best in his retirement,” the statement reads. “Anyone who would speak negatively about Chief Eckert’s service is clearly misinformed or being divisive.”
There have been three in-custody deaths reported at the Tarrant County Jail in the last six weeks, one of which was reported this week, and more than 60 people have died at the Tarrant County jail since 2017. About half of those inmates died from natural causes, the sheriff’s office said.
Activists have recently called for Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn to step down amid concerns about the management of the jail.
Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons said in a statement that “the departure of Charles Eckert, the Executive Chief Deputy of Confinement, marks a significant but necessary first step in addressing the alarming rise in jail deaths in the Tarrant County jail."
“While the longtime jail chief will be leaving after 32 years, the systemic problems in the jail remain,” Simmons said in a statement. “The ultimate responsibility for these issues lies with Sheriff Bill Waybourn.”
She called on Waybourn to “lead the effort to implement meaningful reforms that ensure the safety of those in custody and uphold their civil rights.”
“Additionally, as county leaders, my colleagues on the Commissioners Court and I bear responsibility for this epidemic of jail deaths and the Sheriff’s Office’s lackluster adherence to Standard Operating Procedures, processes, and protocol,” Simmons’ statement continued. “We must work collaboratively to ensure that our facilities are safe and that our staff is adequately trained to uphold the highest standards of care and constitutional rights.”
