The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has announced that it is temporarily housing inmates at the Louisiana Work Force LLC facility in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, due to ongoing staffing shortages at the Polk County Jail.
This decision comes as many county jails across Texas face similar challenges, struggling with both staffing issues and overcrowding.
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According to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, each county jail in Texas must maintain a minimum ratio of one guard for every 48 inmates. Polk County, like many others, has been unable to meet this requirement, prompting the search for alternative housing solutions.
An in-state option in Eagle Pass was considered, but its six-hour distance from Polk County made it less convenient than the facility in Beauregard Parish, which is just two hours away.
According to Sheriff Byron Lyons, this proximity makes it easier to house inmates centrally, manage court travel, and meet Texas jail standards.
Lyons assured that inmates’ essential needs, including medical care, commissary access, and mail services, are being fully met at the Louisiana facility. The sheriff emphasized that once staffing levels are restored, all inmates will be returned to the Polk County Jail.