CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County is taking measures to help keep drugs out of its county jail.
Tuesday the county’s board of commissioners approved the purchase of an x-ray body scanner inspection system that’s able to produce detailed results that in turn will help keep inmates from smuggling drugs into the facility.
While this corrections technology is user-friendly and effective, it’s still not “fool proof,” according to Commissioners Mary Tatum and Dave Glass.
“People are always going to figure things out,” said Tatum, “but it’s still a tool we can utilize to help ensure that contraband isn’t getting into our jail.”
“There’s no magic bullet—that’s obvious,” said Glass, adding “there’s nothing we can do to say there will never be any [contraband].
“Look at the state system, look at the federal system, they still get stuff in and [these facilities] have every system known to man.”
But, Glass said it remains important to have this technology in place and it’s still the county’s “best bet.”
Jail Warden David Gallagher agreed, saying this body scanner system will not be a “catch all,” but it will “catch a lot.”
“There’s no such thing as perfect in corrections,” Gallagher said. “All we can have is tools available to us and use those tools—and this is a significant tool.”
It was noted that the body scanner technology will cost $130,000. The county can use opioid settlement monies to cover up to 50 percent of the purchase price, as well as American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies.
In other business, the commissioners:
- approved an engagement agreement with Reschini Group for the 2023 Affordable Care Act Employer Reporting.
- approved Resolution 2023-#5, authorizing the sale of surplus county property being an unneeded county Solid Waste Authority vehicle. Proceeds from the sale will help support the authority and its programs.
- approved a copier lease agreement with Doing Better Business for a copier to be used by the Domestic Relations Department.
- approved transportation plans with DuBois and West Branch Area School Districts.
- approved purchase of service agreements with: Community Specialists Corp., Community County Services Inc., and Keystone Adolescent Center Inc.
- authorized the Elections office to issue a request for bids for the printing of precinct-specific optical scan Election Day ballots, absentee/mail-in ballots, provisional ballots and test ballots for elections to be held in 2024 and 2025.
- approved the personnel report consisting of four new hires, two employee transfers, four employee separations/retirements and one employee leave.
- approved the minutes of the Sept. 12 board meeting as presented by the chief clerk.
- approved the bills as presented by the Controller’s office.
