When Ruben Marte took office as sheriff Jan. 1, he walked through the jail, into every cell, every corner of the place, to assess conditions.
During Monday's meeting of the Community Justice Response Committee, Marte, chief deputy Phil Parker, and jail commander Kyle Gibbons, who joined him on that tour, presented a candid review.
"When we saw what we saw, well, we have to sleep at night, and I'm having a hard time doing that," Marte said. "It's not acceptable. No one should live in this type of conditions."
Gibbons recalled being overwhelmed by what the tour revealed. "I didn't know what I was coming into, to be quite honest," he said.
Showing the photos gives the community and politicians a clear view of what jail officials are dealing with. "You can't wait to do the right thing," Gibbons said.