County corrections commander Steve Barker told the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 4 that officials plan to install a small pilot of inmate monitoring devices and are developing contracts for the systems and related staffing. "If it got approved today, it would take them about another week after that to get the ball rolling," Barker said of the vendor timeline for device installation; the department proposed starting with five devices.

Why it matters: The devices are intended to improve in-jail monitoring and health oversight. Commissioners and corrections staff discussed limitations: some technologies do not work reliably in multi-occupant cells and batteries or bracelets can be walked out of the facility. Barker said single-occupancy cells are where devices provide the most value.

Operational matters and funding: Barker reported an average daily population of about 91 with a high of 101 for the month and described travel to Eastern State Hospital for forensic restoration hearings (six trips last month). He said overtime for the latest payroll cycle totaled $19,590.23 and linked that to recent vacancies and frozen positions; staffing is improving, with 21 of 22 corrections-officer slots filled and one sergeant returning from leave Sept. 1. The department is working on a medical/booking x-ray scanner purchase (three quotes obtained) and an RFP for phone services and medical services planned for later this year.

Programs and grants: Corrections staff said the county was awarded $40,000 from the Administrative Office of the Courts to support adult pretrial services and is pursuing additional AOC funds for post-adjudication electronic-monitoring programs. The jail is also working through opioid-monitoring equipment procurement and the HCA Medicaid waiver rollout for reentry supports; position descriptions for reentry staff are under review.

Ending: Commissioners thanked corrections staff for recent emergency response preparations and for managing a challenging census, and asked staff to return with firm device contract numbers and any budget requests intended to implement monitoring at scale.