Harris County Sheriff's Office outlying jails reopen with 24-hour schedule

HUMBLE, Texas – The Harris County Sheriff's Office held a press conference Monday to announce the reopening and 24-hour operation of all outlying jails under its jurisdiction.

"It's been several years now that outlying facilities have been closed with the exception one shift a day, five shifts a week," Sheriff Ron Hickman said.

He said the lack of open offices requires the department and its regional partners to take prisoners into downtown Houston, which in turn takes deputies out of the field.

"(The process) increases the cost of transporting (prisoners) Downtown (and) uses the amount of visible manpower of law enforcement in our communities. So we're dedicating the personnel necessary to reopen our outlying facilities," Hickman said.

Hickman said four locations will reopen on the 24-hour, 7-day schedule, including Cypresswood, Humble, Wallisville and Clay Road. HCSO will also be able to release prisoners from these facilities, deputies said. The four jails have a total capacity of 48 people.

Hickman said the reopening will save the department numerous resources including fuel costs and time. It will also provide quick access to families and relatives needing to pickup inmates who have made bond from the outlying jails, he said.