HOUSTON Texas – A five-day Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspection of the Harris County Jail system found the facilities in full compliance with state standards.

Inspectors announced the result of the annual inspection today with high compliments for Sheriff Adrian Garcia and jail operations run by numerous staff members under his command.

“Harris County has come a long way,” Commission Director Adan Muñoz said, addressing Sheriff Garcia and a few dozen staffers at a jail building. “Sheriff, your leadership is obviously inspiring to the people who run this operation.”

“We saw some improvement this year, but we didn’t see a lot of improvement because you all were doing a good job already,” Assistant Director Shannon Herklotz said.

Sheriff Garcia thanked his staff for working to keep the jail system – the state’s largest, and the nation’s third largest – in compliance with standards.

“Our goal is to always exceed the expectations of the state of Texas,” the sheriff said. “We have always been in pursuit of being the model, not just for Texas, but nationally.”

The jail was found out of compliance in 2006 and four months after Sheriff Garcia took office in 2009. Remedial action subsequently removed the non-compliance findings in those instances.

Annual inspections cover inmate housing accommodations, holding cells, medical services, food, fire and life safety, sanitation, grievance systems, telephone access, visitation, exercise, religious practices and other aspects.

The population of the Harris County Jail is about 8,800 inmates, down from a peak of more than 12,000 about five years ago.