This interview was recorded Wednesday, Sept. 15, at the Henderson County Justice Center.
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In this week's podcast, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse talks about COVID-19 in the Jail, teaching at the Texas Jail Association Conference, an arrest in the construction theft cases, and additional personnel being added to the Sheriff's Office.
I. Stats and COVID-19 (1:48)
There are currently 411 in custody, including 100 out-of-county contract inmates.
So far this year, the Jail is averaging 407 inmates, which Sheriff Hillhouse said is a very important number.
"When we hit 407, that's when the Jail Commission really starts looking at us because ... we've reached 80 percent capacity and they really start watching to make sure nobody is overcrowded," he said.
Henderson County has asked for and received another 14-day ban on in-person visitation because of COVID-19. Sheriff Hillhouse said the numbers are coming down, but there is still some COVID-19 in the building.
"As long as I have the virus inside the jail and I've got potential people under quarantine, I want to keep visitation closed," he said.
Sheriff Hillhouse said if things continue as they are, he expects visitation to resume after this 14-day ban.
II. Texas Jail Association Conference (6:18)
Sheriff Hillhouse has been asked to teach two sessions Thursday at the Texas Jail Association Conference in Galveston.
"It's an honor to be chosen as a sheriff to go down there and talk," he said, "and instructing counties all across the state of Texas."
Sheriff Hillhouse will be teaching about issues being seen in jails today and he will be a co-instructor along with the Texas Jail Commission and Texas Association of Counties.
III. Construction Theft Arrests (7:51)
Sheriff Hillhouse said the county has seen an increase in construction material thefts over the past couple of months, particularly of wood.
The Sheriff's Office was able to arrest two individuals in connection with these sorts of thefts thanks to a cooperative effort with the Gun Barrel City Police Department and the Mabank Police Department.
Sheriff Hillhouse said the GBCPD officers were able to get a vehicle description, which they passed on, and Mabank PD was able to locate the vehicle. Then Sheriff's deputies were able to go, conduct an investigation and arrest the two suspects and recover some of the material.
"I don't know that we've seen another theft case like this since then, so hopefully we've got that squashed," he said.
"I was very proud of Gun Barrel reaching out, Mabank keeping their eyes open, and everybody working together and we had a good outcome," Sheriff Hillhouse said.
IV. New Positions (11:05)
Henderson County Commissioners Court approved the 2022 budget last week and with it some new funding for the Sheriff's Office. The new budget calls for adding two new crime scene investigators, two new deputies, and four jailors as well as increased pay for current employees.
"I want to thank the Commissioners," Sheriff Hillhouse said. "Budget season is always stressful. It is stressful for every department head and I know it is extremely stressful for the court, trying to do the right thing for Henderson County. I just want to tell them thank you."
Sheriff's Report: Construction Theft Arrests; Visitation Ban Extended