Oklahoma County Jail facing bed bug problems, per former detainees

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma County Jail has been in the spotlight for refusing two inspections from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

News 4 receives complaints weekly about the conditions inside of the jail.

Some saying they've been bitten by bed bugs during their time inside.

Joshua Akridge spent 24 hours inside the Oklahoma County Jail for a misdemeanor theft.

"Whenever I got home, I was just covered in bed bug bites," he says.

Mark Opgrande, the Communications Director from the Oklahoma County Jail allowed News 4 inside the jail Wednesday morning.

We asked to be taken to floors where inmates are housed to get a closer look at the conditions.

However, we were taken to an empty floor being renovated.

Opgrande said we were not allowed on occupied floors due to inmates being housed.

Desiree Gaskill is another former detainee who reached out to News 4.

She spent four days in the Oklahoma County Jail for a misdemeanor theft also.

During her time, she was also bitten by bed bugs.

Opgrande says the jail hired a certified sprayer to help fix the bed bug problem several months ago.

"His job is to spray on a regular basis. We have a regular routine that we follow," says Opgrande.

He also said detainees and inmates are supposed to report all bug issues.

Opgrande told News 4, "We need to know when someone has an issue in their cell. There's a form you can fill out on a tablet."

On the form, detainees and inmates can report pest control problems.

From there, the certified sprayer and health workers in the building are alerted to go and address the issue.

The detention center also has a 'DOD,' Disinfection On Demand system.

Unit managers on each floor are expected to clean cells inside the jail routinely.