Making Discoveries

County jail getting new locks

Inmates crack the code on jamming old locks, requiring upgrades

news@theeveningtimes.com

Crittenden County Jail will be getting some new locks to replace damage being caused by inmates.

Sheriff Mike Allen told the Quorum Court that they received a bid of $287,600 from Willow Products to replace all 124 locks in the 90,000 square foot jail.

Allen said inmates are jamming metal objects and other substances into the locks which are preventing the tumbler from closing.

“What’s happening is the inmates are taking things and sticking them into the locks,” Allen said. “They have figured out a way to clog the locking mechanism.”

Lt. Charles Beard said the inmates have even figured out how to put a tar substance that they are getting from the window sills into the locks to keep the tumblers from locking properly.

“It will look like it is locked,” Beard said. “But a good kick and the door will pop open and they can get out.”

Beard said inmates have actually gotten out of their cells and that it poses a great danger to corrections officers.

“We’ve had them get out,” Beard said. “At first it was done secretly. But now it is blatant to the point where they boast ‘this lock can’t hold me.’” Baird said it is not just happening in Crittenden County. Jails all across the country are experiencing similar issues.

“That’s how we found this company,” Beard said. “A jail in Georgia was having this problem and got sued.” The Willow Wedge Lock uses a similar tumbler system, but the lock is on the outside of the door , whereas before the inmates were getting access to the lock inside the door.

The new locks also have a self cleaning system which cleans them out every time the lock is engaged. It has a light and an alarm that alerts corrections officers if the lock has been tampered with and not locked properly.

“It’s a big improvement,” Beard said. “So far, no one has been able to beat it.”

The Quorum Court included $300,000 for the new locks in its 2019 budget, but had to amend the budget to add back an additional $150,000 which was left out of the building materials and supplies line item to cover the cost of the locks and regular maintenance items.

Allen said it will take Willow Products about two weeks to install the new locks.

By Mark Randall