In Memory of Security Control Specialist Jerry William Jones

Texas Loses Veteran Law Enforcement Specialist

Authorities recently announced the loss of a law enforcement specialist due to the coronavirus. On December 23, 2020, Security Control Specialist Jerry William Jones died from complications of COVID. Jones had most likely contracted the virus during a recent outbreak among staff and inmates at the Tarrant County Jail. He was 57 years old.

Jones was a fully-sworn law enforcement officer. He began his position with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office in 2002. He started his career as a corrections officer and was assigned to the TCSO Confinement Division. In 2013, Jones received a promotion to Security Control Specialist.

Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office

Jerry Jones spent 18 years of his career with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office. The TCSO is located in Fort Worth, Texas. Jones dedicated his career and gave his life to the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office. The TCSO provides protection and services to the 2.1 million residents of Tarrant County. Tarrant County deputies patrol an area of 902 square miles each day.

The TCSO also manages and maintains the Tarrant County Jail. Tarrant County had a particular need for a security specialist like Jerry Jones. In the history of Tarrant County, the first jail was built in 1856. This was a one-room wooden building located in downtown Fort Worth. Subsequent prisons were built, including one in which the contractors had decided against the new “modern’ lock system that had just come out. Due to this decision, the jail had many jailbreaks. The most recently built jail, built-in 1963, does not have the lengthy escape records of previously made county jails. Today, due to the work of officers like Security Control Specialist Jerry Jones, the community remains safe.

Security Control Specialist

Jerry’s position with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s office was that of a security control specialist. What does this position entail? Jerry had the responsibility of maintaining the detention facility control room. This is the room in which operators control the movement of prisoners and guards throughout the facility. This is done by operating a switchboard that controls doors and gates in various parts of a detention facility.

Security control specialists help monitor the goings-on in multiple parts of the facility. This task is done through closed-circuit TV, radios, and audio monitors. Some facilities also have phone calls routed through this operating center.

Family and Community Grieve Together

Communities worldwide are coming together to help families grieve the losses of loved ones who have fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic. Security Control Specialist Jerry William Jones is survived by his wife, son, daughter, granddaughter, mother, and sister. The community of Tarrant County and law enforcement officers throughout the area will help provide some comfort to the family in their time of grief.

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office commented on the type of person that Jones had been. “He has been noted as a kind, gentle person. Please keep family, friends, and co-workers of Jerry Jones in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days.”