Jail board members discuss suicide

By BOB GIBBINS

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — Cherokee County Governmental Building Authority members discussed last month's suicide in the county jail during Wednesday's meeting.

The trustees asked CCDC Administrator Loyd Bickel about the issue during his administrative report. An investigator's report states jail personnel didn't do hourly sight checks as required. Bickel said the four employees involved were disciplined, and one has since left employment at CCDC.

Bickel pointed out a sight check could have been done at 11 p.m., and yet an inmate could hang himself at 11:03 p.m. and not be found for nearly an hour. When asked by Trustee A.J. Morrison, Bickel said Riddle had not been on a suicide watch prior to the incident.

Bickel said detention officers were going through a jail training school with Tahlequah Police Department personnel this week at the county facility. Their classroom was the CCDC conference room, which caused the CCGBA to be moved into a smaller meeting room in the facility.

Bickel said 78 inmates were in the jail Wednesday morning.

He was also questioned about the age of his staff. He said the average age is 25-26, and it's difficult to hire older employees. He said some recent older applicants didn't get past the background examination.

Bickel said he has nothing against hiring older employees with "life experiences," but they have to be able to meet physical and other requirements. He said he's found a mix of older and younger personnel works well.

Sheriff Norman Fisher, a member of the board, said there are times when an older employee doesn't like being told what to do by a younger person in a supervisory position.

The CCGBA approved a wire transfer to Bank of Oklahoma and a payment to Oakridge Builders. CCGBA Chairman Mike Ballard said the Oakridge payment was for heating and air conditioning. He said temperature checks have been done in each room, and there is a 2-degree variance.



What's next

The next regular meeting of the Cherokee County Governmental Building Authority will be Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. in the Cherokee County Detention Center conference room.