Sheriff, all her deputies and a police dog resign to protest Oklahoma jail conditions

[demmiblue]

An Oklahoma sheriff and nearly all of her staff resigned this week to protest what she says are dangerous jail conditions.

Nowata County is reeling after sheriff Terry Sue Barnett read her letter of resignation at a news conference on Monday, saying a judge "tried to bribe" her to support a jail that is unsafe for staff and prisoners.

Nowata County Judge Carl Gibson ordered Barnett and her undersheriff to a court appearance on Tuesday where he said he has an “obligation to live within a budget” and Barnett didn't respect that, ABC Tulsa reports.

Twelve members of the Nowata County Sheriff's Office staff, including all deputies, the head dispatcher and most of the jail staff, resigned with Barnett, NBC News reports. The office’s K-9 ranger even quit, signing paperwork with a paw print, Barnett said.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/03/21/sheriff-deputies-police-dog-resign-protest-oklahoma-jail-conditions/3231380002/

[leftynyc]

1. Wow - good for her

Seems that jail was an accident waiting to happen.

[lpbk2713]

2. It's pretty bad when even your dog says eff this place.

...

[3Hotdogs]

11. That complaint was about the budget allowing only enough $$$

to purchase Rival instead of Origin.

Everyone knows Lassie didn't like Rival.

Yes, its satire.

[nuxvomica]

3. Did Halliburton build the jail?

It sounds a lot like the troop facilities during the Iraq occupation.

[erronis]

7. Good point. Or perhaps one of the for-profit prison corporations.

[c-rational]

4. Was the jail built by the private sector? My guess is yes.

[AllaN01Bear]

5. lame excuse by the undersherrif.

[sazemisery]

6. I'm a former resident of OK

I worked in the court system and this does not surprise me in the least.

[Wounded Bear]

8. All the hardliners want to lock people up...

but they don't want to pay for adequate incarceration facilities.

[IronLionZion]

9. Things must be really bad for a dog to resign

[StarryNite]

10. Now THAT'S taking a stand!

Good for her and her staff including the police dog!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

12. that's a team!

The fact that her deputies left with her signals their respect. The county should sit up and take notice.

[uponit7771]

13. K&R,