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Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez said Friday she will ask county commissioners for her own fire safety team to make sure the jails' smoke detectors and smoke removal systems are working properly.
Sheriff Valdez made the announcement during The Dallas Morning News editorial board's interviews with all eight candidates vying for the top law enforcement position in the county.
Problems with inoperable fire safety equipment in the some of the jails were a concern for state jail inspectors who handed the county its fifth failed inspection in a row last month.
Because it's a life-safety issue, inspectors recommended that the sheriff form such a team to make sure fire detection equipment is working at all times.
Sheriff Valdez said she will make an official request in the coming weeks.
"I said, 'Let me have the individuals. I will train them,' " she said.
The sheriff also took some shots from the Democratic challengers who are looking to defeat her in the March 4 primary.
During several exchanges, candidates offered facts and figures that were off the mark in varying degrees.
For example, Peter Schulte, a former Dallas County prosecutor who is now a private defense attorney, said at one point that the jail system's capacity is 10,000 inmates.
Sheriff Valdez later corrected him, saying the capacity is 7,800. But moments earlier, she said she reduced the inmate population from 8,000 to 6,000 in one year. However, the highest the jail population reached during her tenure was slightly more than 7,000 inmates.
Sheriff Valdez said the jail failed its inspection last month because of an inoperable smoke removal system.
But Mr. Schulte noted that there were nine deficiencies that resulted in the failing grade.
The Republican candidates – former Irving Police Chief Lowell Cannaday, Cockrell Hill Police Chief Catherine Smit, Mesquite police Lt. Charlie Richmond and former Sheriff Jim Bowles – generally were more cordial during their joint appearance before The News editorial board.
Sheriff Valdez defended her record, saying the jails are cleaner and better staffed now.
She said her goal if re-elected is to eventually get the jail population down to 5,000 – a goal that Sam Allen, the Lancaster school police chief, called "unattainable."
All of the challengers said morale in the department is low.
Sheriff Valdez said it was limited to malcontents whom she had transferred, disciplined or demoted.
Roy Williams Jr., a deputy who is currently on leave, said he would make changes at the top.
Mr. Schulte vowed to do the same. Both men also said it was inappropriate for Commissioner John Wiley Price to be spearheading most of the changes in the jail.
"If Commissioner Price is running the jail, why do you need a sheriff?" Mr. Williams asked.