Hours after the conclusion of a meeting he did not attend, Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority Chairman Jim Couch resigned his position by email around 5:30 p.m. Friday, citing “a transition” in the jail’s leadership and a desire to “travel more” in his retirement.
Former legislator Ben Brown chaired Friday’s meeting of the Criminal Justice Authority, which is also known as the jail trust. Following about 75 minutes of executive session, the six present members of the trust voted to name Brandi Garner as the interim executive administrator of the Oklahoma County Jail.
At the body’s prior meeting Dec. 5, embattled jail administrator Greg Williams announced his resignation, and the trust approved a settlement package to be offered to Williams, whose two-year tenure was marred by high-profile staff blunders, an inadvertent and damning voicemail, and a string of detainee deaths.
“I am blessed to have a dedicated and wonderful staff, who I expect will continue to work hard each day to ensure the safety and security of detainees and staff alike,” Garner told trust members Friday. “With the foundation that my predecessor built, I believe that we will continue the forward progress we have made in turning the facility into one of the best in the state, if not the country.
“I do not take this position lightly. There is a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
Couch, who retired as OKC’s city manager in late 2018 and who became the jail trust’s chairman in April 2021, will no longer serve on the governing board for that work. But despite missing Friday’s meeting, Couch did release a statement praising Garner, a south Oklahoma City native who previously worked at the Cleveland County Detention Center.
“Garner is the ideal person to build on the progress the jail trust and the staff in the detention center have accomplished in recent years,” Couch said. “She has developed a positive rapport within and outside of the facility and has spearheaded many critical improvements. Most recently, she helped increase recreation time for detainees. I expect she will bring new ideas and new energy to the organization.”
Grand jury investigation continues
Couch becomes the third member of the nine-person jail trust to resign this year, all while a special prosecutor has been investigating concerns about jail management and safety. Cherokee County District Attorney Jack Thorp has reportedly called multiple members of the trust to testify in front of the state’s multi-county grand jury, which is expected to hear additional testimony about the Oklahoma County Jail in January.
“I’ve taken the appointment by the attorney general seriously,” Thorp told NonDoc on Dec. 5. “My investigation has been ongoing for a year, and my investigation will continue onto the new year.”
Thorp was assigned to handle the investigation after Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater recused from the matter. Prater had empaneled an Oklahoma County grand jury in late 2021, partially to investigate “lethal uncorrected mismanagement” at the jail.
“Trustees, as public officers not subject to Impeachment, are therefore subject to Removal upon an Accusation brought by a grand jury pursuant to the provisions of [state statute and] may also be subject to criminal penalties,” Prater wrote in his original grand jury application.
Couch addressed his Friday email to Oklahoma County District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughan and said his resignation was effective immediately.
“I am very proud of the improvements that have been made at the Oklahoma County Detention Facility,” Couch wrote. “These include new water pumps, new hot water heaters, a new water managements system, newer sewage grinders, a new air filtration system, new locks, new video cameras, a new phone system, an upgraded fire protection system and a new body scanner. Operationally we have eliminated triple celling, have a new food provider with new kitchen equipment and a new commissary provider.”
Couch praised the tenure of Williams, although he did not mention the outgoing jail CEO by name.
“There is a new culture amongst the detention officers to care for the detainees and plans are being implemented to ensure more time for the detainees out of their cells,” Couch wrote. “This was all accomplished during a pandemic and during a time when the facility was understaffed.”
Couch’s full email appears below:
Commissioner Maughn (sic) – Please accept this as formal notice of my resignation as Trustee for the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority as of today. I am very proud of the improvements that have been made at the Oklahoma County Detention Facility. These include new water pumps, new hot water heaters, a new water managements system, newer sewage grinders, a new air filtration system, new locks, new video cameras, a new phone system, an upgraded fire protection system and a new body scanner. Operationally we have eliminated triple celling, have a new food provider with new kitchen equipment and a new commissary provider. There is a new culture amongst the detention officers to care for the detainees and plans are being implemented to ensure more time for the detainees out of their cells. This was all accomplished during a pandemic and during a time when the facility was understaffed.
As the Trust is now going through a transition in its executive director, I believe it is a good time for me to step aside. My wife and I are both retired and desiring to travel more. I don’t believe I will be in Oklahoma City enough to be an effective Trustee.
Thank you for your support. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve Oklahoma County.
Jim Couch
