SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County officials on Thursday unveiled the new video visitation facility that people will be using to visit jail inmates.
Sheriff Susan Pamerleau and county Judge Nelson Wolff cut the ribbon to the new state-of-the-art facility at 222 South Comal, then gave the media a tour.
Pamerleau said that in-person visits will gradually be phased out by mid-November, when all visits will be conducted via video, except for rare circumstances.
The facility will open to the public Sept. 3, but visitors need to register beforehand online or at the facility.
While there is criticism by some people who said the new visitation policy doesn't compare to a face-to-face visit, Pamerleau said jail visitors need to give the facility a chance.
"Come see it. Come experience it, and I think we'll have a lot of who are saying, 'What an improvement,'" Pamerleau said.
She said the new facility and technology will also allow people to visit inmates more often. Video visitation will be available Saturdays through Wednesdays. People can visit five days a week, if time slots are available.
"It helps families stay together, and more families having the opportunity to talk to their loved one," Pamerleau said.
She said another reason for the new facility is that a lot of jail visitors complained about standing outside in the sun, rain, or cold for hours.
The new facility cost the county $2.2 million.
Dallas, Travis and Lubbock counties also have similar facilities, Pamerleau said.
Pamerleau’s Democratic challenger for the November election, Javier Salazar, said the center is a great option, but shouldn’t be the only one.
“I’m of the opinion that if we go to this system exclusively, we’re going to see a spike in suicides and in other violent behavior on the part of these inmates as a result of this psychological stress,” Salazar said.
KSAT-12 asked a county spokeswoman if a change of in leadership happened at BCSO would video visitation be reversed. The answer was no, because the decision would be in the hands of county commissioners.
People who want to register an online account to visit an inmate at the Bexar County jail can do so here (http://www.icsvideovisit.com/bexar).