Who Operates County Jails In Texas ?

In Texas, it is clear that operation of a jail is historically a law enforcement function. County jails are operated by the sheriff, who is unquestionably a law enforcement official. See TEX. LOC. GOV'T CODE ANN. 351.041 (Vernon 1999) ("sheriff of each county is the keeper of the county jail"). The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education is responsible for training county jailers and guards. TEX. OCC. CODE ANN. 1701.001(2), .251(a) (Vernon 2000).