Sheriff Kelly Rowe Talks Border Security and In-House Jail Restoration Plans

Tuesday on KFYO Mornings with Dave King and Matt Martin Lubbock County Sheriff Kelly Rowe joined Dave and Matt to talk about several local and national issues including border security and drug trafficking, local shootings and home invasions, the race for Lubbock County Judge, in-house jail restoration plans, and more.

Sheriff Rowe started the discussion by talking about his trip down to the Mexican-American border, describing the trip as, "really really eye opening." He commented that there were a lot of vacant homes down near the border where houses cannot be sold due to the high probability of being robbed, as well as the number of guns that come back across the border after drug trades. He also gave some numbers in regards to the number of people coming across the border. About 2500 people were being apprehended every week trying to cross the border, with another 500 turning and going back before being apprehended. Of those 2500, 52% were not Mexican and had been coming from 128 different countries.

Rowe also spoke on the shootings and home invasions in Lubbock. He commented that they are almost always drug related and that the odds of a random invasion are very low. "It's individuals who know each other," Rowe said, "And drugs are going to be involved in that." Rowe mentioned that of the roughly 1200 inmate population, about 70% are addicted to or somehow tied to drugs.

The Sheriff also spoke on the planned in-house jail restoration plan for inmates with mental health issues. "One of the biggest issues we have facing our county jails in Texas is mental health issues," Rowe explained. Convicted criminals have to be competent to stand trial, so with this new plan, when a judge orders a competency determination order and subsequent restoration, members of Star Care can act within the detention center on the inmates. Previously the inmates could be stuck in jail for a matter of years before their case could be properly looked at.

You can watch the full interview with Lubbock County Sheriff Kelly Rowe in the video above.

KFYO Mornings with Dave King & Matt Martin airs weekday mornings live, from 6:00 AM to 8:30 AM on News/Talk 95.1 FM and 790 AM KFYO, online at KFYO.com, & on the free KFYO app.