By Jason Renard Walker, NABPP Minister of Labor

Clements Unit prisoners in 3 Buildings’ close custody wings were awakened in the early morning of May 16, 2020, by the loud sounds of ranking guards telling them to get dressed and step out of their cells.

Normally such mass invasions by staff mean cell searches and shakedowns. To our surprise, no shakedowns would be conducted, though a wealth of “free world” men and women donning hazmat-like garments, clipboards, hand sanitizer and smartphones, awaited us for COVID-19 testing.
Were these members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or members of some other agency deployed by Governor Greg Abbott?

Whoever they were, they gave prisoners a sigh of relief, as this could be the beginning of trial and error measures designed to lift the current prison medical lockdown, allow us some recreation time, and give us hot meals and access to the phone. 

Despite being in cells with another prisoner for the past 40 days, we were shepherded to an empty room in the building (multi-purpose room) by the dozens and yelled at for “not practicing social distancing.” Ironically, social distancing was never taught until COVID-19 testing members watched in shock and awe as prisoners that hadn’t seen each other in days shook hands, hugged and talked. In fact, staff hadn’t practiced how to teach us six feet of space and social distancing, thus they looked like fools as they hastily showed us what little they knew about it. One of the testers even spoke to themself that the prisoners had on makeshift masks made out of used sheets, not N-95 masks or a closer sort. A mentally ill prisoner who hasn’t had access to a radio or newspaper was finally brought to reality that a pandemic had been launched.

First we went to one tabled station, handed over our I.D. cards and used hand sanitizer; second we were pointed to another station with our testing kits and showed how to self test: cough in your sleeve 3 to 4 times; remove the swab and vial; swab our mouths and gums for 20 seconds; put the swab in the vial and turn it upside down and rightsize up three times, so that pre-encased  liquid mixes with the swab. We placed everything back in the bag, then in a box and headed back to our cells.

This massive state-wide testing campaign of practically every inmate and TDCJ guard (totaling 150,000 individuals) in Texas is following and in response to Texas officials like Anderson County Mayor Steve Presley and others criticizing the COVID-19 testing policies of the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice. The policies became a great concern since most of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Anderson County have been linked to local prisons.

As of May 12, 2020 over 1,000 prisoners in Texas have tested positive for COVID-19, while more than 20,000 others have been placed on medical restriction, state-wide. The Beto unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas, holding over 3,000 prisoners, has reported one of the highest number of positive cases in the Texas prison system. According to the Herald Press, 70 percent of the prisoners tested at the Beto unit, tested positive for Coronavirus. The total number of those prisoners that tested positive were 62 as of May 12, 2020.

Texas is in the process of increasing its testing supply, as the state has ranked at, or near, the bottom among states for Coronavirus testing. The massive testing campaign is a reflection of this. All Texas prisons are expected to have completed COVID-19 testing in the next three weeks.
In April Gov. Greg Abbott said he expected a massive amount of additional testing capability by May. Testing all Texas prisoners and guards is just the start.

After close custody prisoners in 3 bldg were done testing and no negative incidents were reported by staff, they were surprised with the opportunity to purchase food items from the commissary and hot showers.
We all celebrated making it this far without healthy food by making our own hot meals and sharing them with the prisoners unable to buy their own, due to lack of funds, commissary restriction, etc!

After taking my shower I peered in a white and Hispanic prisoner’s cell to observe the types of food being made. Theirs: Ramen noodles, mixed and topped with refried beans, squeeze cheese, pork skins and other goodies— your typical TDCJ “store day spread”. Despite the pandemic, we are learning to thrive through it! 

Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win! All Power to the People!

Jason Renard Walker 1532092

Clements Unit

9601 Spur 591 

Amarillo, TX 79107

Notes:palestineherald.com “State prison system plans massive testing initiative”Facebook group: “Family members with loved one