“Dealing With Contraband is a Daily Issue” Body Scanner Helps Contraband Efforts at Alabama Jail

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Autauga Metro Jail in Prattville is getting a new tool to fight efforts to bring contraband into the facility. The sheriff’s office is spending $125,250 for a full-body scanner for the jail. Inmates will be scanned by the machine as part of the intake process.

Incoming inmates are patted down and then strip-searched as part of that process before they are placed in the cells. It’s not uncommon for people to attempt to hide contraband on or in their person, Jail Warden Larry Nixon said. The scanner is needed for safety, Nixon told The Montgomery Advertiser.

“We’ve found everything; weapons, cell phones, drugs, tobacco products,” he said. “We do the strip search in a private room. The officer has to be in close contact with the inmate. So having the scanner will speed up the process and improve safety for everyone.”

Dealing with contraband is a daily issue, said Sheriff Joe Sedinger.

“It’s not just us that has to deal with it, every jail deals with it,” he said. “Inmates know how the system works. They know we can’t do a cavity search if we don’t have probable cause. Just this week we had a female inmate try to sneak in meth and cocaine.”

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