Tarrant County Sheriff's Office appoints new chief jailer amid calls for reform
FORT WORTH – The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office has appointed a new chief jailer to oversee a facility that has faced significant criticism for the high number of inmate deaths in recent years.
In a news release, Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn said Shannon Herklotz brings more than three decades of detention experience to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office.
"We are lucky to have him," Waybourn said.
Herklotz, 54, will serve as Executive Chief of Detention for the TCSO and lead what the sheriff's office describes as one of the best-run county jails in the country, noting it has met or exceeded standards and passed inspections for over 30 years.
The position has remained vacant since Charles Eckert retired in mid-2024 after leading the jail's day-to-day operations since December 2020.
Herklotz comes at a time when Waybourn has been criticized for the number of jail deaths under his leadership. Nearly 70 inmates have died in custody since 2017.
In 2024, the controversy sparked protests and calls for accountability, particularly targeting Waybourn, who has been in office during this period.
Allegations of neglect and abuse by jail staff have been prominent, culminating in murder charges against two former jailers connected to the death of Anthony Johnson Jr., who died of asphyxiation after being pepper-sprayed and restrained.
Protests and vigils were held to remember the deceased and demand changes. Activists and community leaders have called for Waybourn's resignation and improved jail conditions.
Meanwhile, the sheriff's office stated that Herklotz will lead the office's detention officers and work to strengthen collaboration with medical partners at John Peter Smith Hospital and mental health providers from MHMR.
Herklotz, who began his career as a correctional officer in 1990 with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, has served as:
- Chief Deputy over the Detention Bureau at the Dallas County Sheriff's Office
- Chief of Detentions at the Harris County Jail in Houston
- Deputy Director of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards in Austin
A graduate of Sam Houston State University's National Jail Leadership Command Academy, Herklotz is a member of the Texas Jail Association's Hall of Fame and was awarded the TJA's President Award in 2019, the sheriff's office said.