HOUSTON – Five detention officers were indicted Tuesday in connection with the beating of an inmate at the Harris County Jail last year.
Prosecutors said that the Sept. 4, 2016, use of force by the jailers against Jerome Bartee was recorded by security cameras.
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“The evidence shows these detention officers crossed the line when it comes to the use of force,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said. She said Bartee suffered severe injuries to his face, including a shattered eye socket.
Jeremy Ringle, Joshua Degler, Napoleon Harmon and Andrew Rowell were each charged with aggravated assault by a public servant. Salvador Garibay was charged with assault.
On Wednesday, Channel 2 Investigates obtained records from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement regarding the history of the officers. The information below came from those records.
Joshua Degler
Degler began working as a jailer for the Sheriff’s Office with a temporary jailer license in November 2011. In January 2012, he received a permanent jailer license.
His academy history showed that his most recent training of 643 hours was completed in September 2017 as a basic peace officer course. That course includes training in state and federal law, crisis intervention, cultural diversity and racial profiling.
Degler has received 1,021 hours of course training since 2011.
Salvador Garibay
Garibay began working as a jailer for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in September 2013 with a temporary jailer license. He received a permanent jailer license in December 2013.
His academy history showed that his most recent training of 16 hours was completed online in September 2017, and included courses on human trafficking, cultural diversity and ethics in law enforcement.
Garibay has received 272 hours of course training since 2013
Napoleon Harmon III
Harmon began working as a jailer for the Sheriff’s Office in September 2013 with a temporary jailer license. He was issued a permanent jailer license on Nov. 8, 2013, which was switched back to a temporary jailer license on Nov. 16, 2013.
He received his peace officer license with the Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 4, 2017.
Harmon’s most recent training was in September, when he completed peace officer field training and personnel orientation.
Among Harmon’s 1,334 total hours of training are courses in state and federal law, crisis intervention, cultural diversity, human trafficking, racial profiling and asset forfeiture.
Jeremy Ringle
Ringle was issued a temporary jailer license for the Sheriff’s Office in October 2007. He got his permanent jailer license in April 2008.
His most recent training was in June 2016, when he completed an eight-hour course in defensive tactics.
Among Ringle’s 606 total hours of training are courses in use of force in a jail setting, suicide detection and prevention in jail, inmate rights and responsibilities, cultural diversity, Spanish for law enforcement, human trafficking and crisis intervention.
Andrew Rowell
Rowell received his temporary jailer license for the Sheriff’s Office in November 2012. He was issued a permanent jailer license in May 2013.
His most recent training was four-hour CPR course in June 2016.
Rowell has 927 total hours of training in courses, including cultural diversity, crisis intervention, human trafficking, identity theft, state and federal law, asset forfeiture and mental health.