Delaware County jail wants scanner to stop drug smuggling
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - Delaware County jail hopes to buy a full-body digital scanner to combat prisoners smuggling drugs in their body cavities as they are being processed into the jail.
The Star Press (http://tspne.ws/2pTBIvV ) reports that so far in 2017, the jail has seen an average of one inmate drug overdose per week. The most common drug smuggled in is heroin.
A scanner would cost about $200,000, but Sheriff Ray Dudley says it would cut down on medical expenses from overdoses and save staff time.
Jail officers are allowed to conduct strip searches of inmates, but some body cavities are off limits to searching in Indiana.
A scanner could produce an image in less than 10 seconds and eliminate the need for strip searches.
Hamilton and Hancock jails have had success with scanners.
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Information from: The Star Press, http://www.thestarpress.com