Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Citizens Academy - The County Jail

September 27, 2024 – Tuscaloosa - For our final class of the Citizens Academy, the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff gave us the grand tour of what they call "Tuscaloosa's finest gated community" - the County Jail. All of us participants in the Citizens Academy looked forward to the occasion with both trepidation and anticipation. And as we stood outside of the entrance to the jail waiting for class to begin, more than one of us made a list of who we'd call to bail us out, should we be detained for any reason. However, once Sergeant Strickland came out and said "Welcome to jail!" we eagerly went inside to see what tonight's class would entail.

The first room we went to inside of the County Jail was the courtroom. As they have a courtroom in the jail for some of the preliminary proceedings to be held in so the judges can come and hold court without the sheriff having to transport the inmates to the courthouse. The courtroom is well air conditioned as they keep it cool on purpose since it helps keep people from getting agitated. And the walls are filled with decor featuring the U.S. Constitution and The Bill of Rights.

We learned from the head of the jail that they have about 650 inmates at present. With about 80 to 90 of them being women. The women are housed separately and according to the head of the jail are some of the worst inmates. As they do not get along with each other and get into violent fights, constantly. In fact, he had just been in a meeting earlier in the day addressing the issue of the difficult female inmates.

The head of the jail also told us about the various methods the inmates have used over the years to smuggle in drugs and other contraband. Such as when family members would bring them tennis shoes that they had taken the soles off of and lined with drugs before putting them back together, so the inmates could later tear them apart and get high.

The head of the jail also emphasized how they always have to stay one step ahead of the inmates. Which requires them to be constantly on guard, given that the inmates dedicate all of their time to figuring out how to play the jailors. Along with continually devising ways to destroy the building.

We also learned from the head of the County Jail how thirty percent of their population has mental illness. With another ten percent having mental illness that has gone undiagnosed. So the county jail has nurses on staff and doctors who come in to treat them. As well as to attend to any other medical issues they may have.

The state gives the county jail $2.25 per inmate a day to feed them. Which they supplement from other sources. And they showed us the kitchen in the jail where they prepare all of their meals. Since the inmates get three square meals per day in jail, they call the County Jail, "Three hots and a cot."

We also saw the area where the inmates are brought in and booked into the jail. The fingerprinting is done digitally and sent to Montgomery. And they have a shower for the inmates when they come in. Along with a special chemical for them to use to get rid of pests. As the inmates tend to come in with lice and all kinds of bugs.

The head of the jail also showed us the laundry room where some of the inmates who are in for lesser charges are allowed to work. He explained to us that the orange jumpsuits are for the felons and murderers. The classic black and white striped jumpsuits are for those who are in for misdemeanors. And the blue tops with white pants are for the inmates who are in the jail on even lesser charges.

As our tour of the jail progressed, the head of the jail took us deep into the area where the toughest inmates are held who have committed some of the worst crimes. This area was particularly loud and cacophonous. With the inmates "horse kicking" the doors to their cells and making all kinds of clanging sounds. As well as yelling all kinds of things, including "Hey, babe!" at us as we walked past them. With one participant who is a retired nurse, telling us that it reminded her of when she worked at Bryce Hospital. Which for many years was the insane asylum in Tuscaloosa.

After touring such, it was difficult to fathom why anybody would want to enter the law enforcement field. And I even asked Sergeant Strickland what would propel anybody to do so. He informed me that most police officers have "White Knight Syndrome". Which makes them want to be a knight riding in on a white horse rescuing people and saving people.

We then returned to the courtroom in the jail where our graduation ceremony from the Citizens Academy was held. All of us participants in the Citizens Academy were then presented with an elegant Certificate of Merit from the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff. And the speakers for the occasion were Sheriff Ron Abernathy and the District Attorney Hays Webb. With the District Attorney Hays Webb emphasizing to us that respect for the rule of law is the underpinning for our freedoms.

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.