In Memory of Corrections Officer Jimmy Garcia
Texas Loses Another Corrections Officer
Since the start of the COVID pandemic, Texas has lost more law enforcement officers than any other state in the US. Texas officials were saddened to come forward yet again to announce to residents that another officer had been lost to the virus. On Thursday, April 15, 2021, Corrections Officer Jimmy Garcia passed away from complications of the coronavirus. He was 56 years old. Officer Garcia had been in service to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for more than five years.
Officer Garcia started his life of service straight out of high school. He is a US Marine Corp veteran. He served to protect his country. From there, he continued to want to serve and protect his community, following through to become a law enforcement officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Corrections Officer Jimmy Garcia is the 46th employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to die due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The department responsible for statewide criminal justice and monitoring in Texas is the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The TDCJ is responsible for all adult offenders in the state of Texas. The department manages all state prisons, state jails, and private prisons within the state of Texas. They also provide oversight and management for release programs and paroled offenders.
The beginnings of criminal justice in Texas began early in the state’s history in 1848, when the state legislature passed a bill to start the first state penitentiary.
Neal Unit
The most recent assignment that Officer Garcia had was working at the Neal Unit. The Nathaniel J. Neal Unit is a mixed custody facility that holds more than 1700 male inmates. They range from minimum to maximum security.
Today the department has grown to manage over 100 facilities and employs over 37,000 Texans. On a shared property with the Clemens facility, the prisons share more than 592 acres of land in Armarillo, Texas.
The facility offers many types of work outlets for the inmates, including a beef processing plant, a prison garden, and maintenance. Counseling, education, and religious assistance and services are also provided to those who wish to attend.
Remembrances
The loss of so many officers due to the COVID crisis in Texas has devastated many families. Corrections Officer Jimmy Garcia is survived by his wife, daughter, mother, and ten siblings. The law enforcement community will join the large Garcia family to share in the final services for Officer Garcia. The gathering will allow the family, residents, and fellow officers a chance to celebrate the life lived by Officer Garcia.
The TDCJ Executive Director Bryan Collier shared his sympathies with the Garcia family. “Jimmy Garcia was defined by service not just as a part of the TDCJ family, but to the nation during his service as a United States Marine. The thoughts and prayers of the TDCJ family are with the Garcia family and friends at this tragic time. He will always be remembered by the entire TDCJ family.”
TDCJ Correctional Institutions Director Bobby Lumpkin spoke of the reserved nature of Officer Garcia’s personality. “Although Officer Garcia was very reserved with his words, his actions spoke loudly to his spirit of service. He was an extremely loyal individual, and that carried over to his career. From the battlefield to the unit halls, Officer Garcia’s passion was serving and helping others. He will be missed.”
