Could Freestone County be getting a new jail in the future?

County Judge Linda Grant read a letter from Teague Police Department addressed to the Sheriff’s Office, DA’s Office, County Judge and Commissioners, and City of Teague Mayor regarding the Freestone County Jail refusing to process certain legal arrests.

The letter expresses concerns about practices at Freestone Co. Jail and troubling issues that affect public safety concerns.

The letter begins, “the Sheriff’s Office refuses to process arrestees for various criminal offences even when valid warrants are in place.”

It goes on to say that there is signage posted at the jail telling agencies to call ahead to make sure the jail will process the arrest before transporting an arrestee to the jail.

Equally alarming is that arrestees who were legally arrested, were processed and booked, are being ‘un-arrested’ and released back into the community.

The letter states, “due to overcrowding at the jail, many arrestees are not being held accountable and therefore continue to commit crimes believing they will receive no consequences.

It also suggests that the County builds a new jail as a solution; to properly house inmates and bring revenue and safety to the County.

To hear the letter read in its entirety, watch Part 3 of the June 4, 2025, meeting on the County’s website at https://www.co.freestone.tx.us/page/freestone/Videos.June2025.

Judge Grant addressed the audience stating that a new jail facility will be discussed during budget time.

“Before that happens, what are we going to do? How are we going to address this issue,” asked Teague PD Chief Philpott. “We can’t do our job, according to the law, because of the conditions at the jail.”

Commissioner Pct. 3 Lloyd Lane stated that he had understood that Sheriff Tanner of Navarro County was willing to take Freestone County inmates into his jail when, room allowed.

“Sheriff Tanner does not want to house any of our out-of-county inmates, I confirmed that today,” explained Sheriff Shipley. “As a county, we have 43 beds and have outsourced other places to house them, even though they don’t want to. And now, several are also overcrowded and don’t have room either. It’s my duty to protect this county; I have to choose wisely who to book, the worse cases, because of the lack of room we have at our facility. I don’t want to leave them on the streets, but what happens when jail standards comes in and shuts us down because of improper hosing conditions?”

“I think the biggest problem, no matter how we got here, is the liability to the county,” stated Commissioner Lane. “Someone who is pulled over, their drugs are confiscated, we don’t have a place for them, they go get high the next day and go out and kill someone, we have a lawsuit on our hands because they should have been locked up.”

“We are working on gathering information for our upcoming budget workshops and a new jail facility will be discussed,” stated Judge Grant.

“In the meantime, we need beds,” said Sheriff Shipley. “I talk to Sheriffs all over and most don’t want to help because of the medical and mental health issues of many of our inmates.”

“I’d be happy talk to some counties and see if we can get some help,” concluded Judge Grant.

Also at this meeting, Commissioners unanimously approved the following:

–Approve minutes of May 20 and 21 meetings

–Budget Transfers and Amendments

–Pay Bills

–Payroll

–Reports

–Special Road Use Agreements

–Bond and Education Certificates

–Guard 1 Agreement for the Jail to include identification wrist bands for inmates

–The Farland Company Roof Budget which allows the company to go out for design and bids using the proposed budget.

–Corrected Bank Depository Bid Sheets

–Freestone County Asset Disposition Policy that will define procedures to ensure security, compliance, and fiscal responsibility. This would be for county property that might be sold, recycled, or disposed of, which could include office equipment, furniture, machinery, or vehicles.

–Order Restricting certain fireworks for the Fourth of July.

–Voted to approve a Reimbursement on Training and Education policy which would require an employee to reimburse the county should they leave their position within a year of being hired.

Also, County Auditor Karen Craddick announced her retirement. Her last day of work was Friday, June 6, 2025.
Commissioners Court meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the County Courtroom on the second floor of the Courthouse.