Sgt. Erica Taylor of the Lewisville Police Department would rather not lock people up. “At the end of the day, we want to see everyone go home,” said Taylor (pictured above), who works at the Lewisville Municipal Jail as a Detention Supervisor. Fortunately, the city’s municipal jail is rarely at max capacity, noted Taylor during her presentation last week to the Lewisville Noon Rotary. The facility, located next to the police department at 1187 W. Main Street, has 52 beds, but generally has fewer than two dozen inmates behind bars. The jail is overseen by 10 detention officers, five corporals/field training officers, eight detention supervisors/sergeants, and a captain (jail supervisor). “We recommend that people who want to become a patrol officer start in the jail,” noted Taylor, explaining that you learn everything from intake procedures and administrative protocols to conflict deescalation techniques, CPR training, and how to use a taser. Officers work 12-hour shifts, and the minimum staffing is three people per shift. The jail building has several different kinds of rooms, noted Sgt. Taylor, including holding cells, detox cells, dorm rooms with bunk beds, and a padded cell for individuals who are physically violent and destructive. She also explained the intake and search processes, and the book-in process, when offenders undergo a medical and suicide screening, have their mugshot and fingerprints taken, and are told their charges, among other paperwork.  Guest presenter Sgt. Erica Taylor and LNR club president Dennis Song. About 95 inmates are booked into the facility each week, and all inmates get a free call after completing book-in, assuming they are not being violent. “The next free call is after arraignment, when you just saw the judge,” Sgt. Taylor said. This is generally when an inmate asks family and friends for bail money, so they can post bond and go home. “The judge comes twice a day, even on weekends and holidays,” she noted. During arraignment, the judge must find probable cause, then he or she will read the inmate their rights, present the charges and bond amount, and explain the conditions of their bond. “If you’re in for a Class B [misdemeanor] or above, you can pay cash or use a bonding company,” but offenders often don’t like the restrictions imposed by the bonding company, Taylor said. Those with a Class B misdemeanor and above who are unable to post bond “get on a bus and go to the Denton county jail,” Taylor said, adding that Lewisville jail is a temporary holding facility. Inmates generally stay in custody only one or two days before they make bail or transfer to the Denton County facility. |
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