Officers report that since Nueces County settled a lawsuit this month with the family of an inmate who died after being pepper-sprayed and tied down in a restraint chair, getting the county to admit a prisoner has become more difficult. Sheriff Larry Olivarez said his agency hasn't changed procedures on medical clearances. Police say jail officials are requiring medical clearance on anyone with injuries, even minor ones that before had been accepted with no question, leaving fewer officers on the street and possibly jeopardizing public safety. David Cook said. There's something wrong there.
Any medical problem has to be taken to the emergency room.
We have officers who are going to be tied up for three to four hours. Supervisor's call Olivarez said that whether to admit a suspect is a call determined by a supervisor, an intake officer and jail medical personnel. He said that he is looking at revising jail operations, but any changes are just in the planning stage. Police Chief Pete Alvarez said he has not received notice of policy changes, but officers have told him about the jail's reluctance to accept inmates who had been pepper-sprayed. In the past we've never have had to go through this.