Jail administrator talks screening process for incoming inmates

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - There are multiple steps involved in the screening process for incoming inmates.

The Kentucky River Regional Jail has a body scanner to detect any kind of drugs an inmate might be hiding.

”They have certain ways they like to hide stuff and try to sneak it in. Once we get them, especially if they have drug charges, we will strip search them. We have to really take our time and go through their clothes because they’ll hide them anywhere,” Kentucky River Regional Jail Assistant Administrator Adam Dials said.

Some drugs are harder to find than others, even with a body scanner and strip search.

“Suboxone strips is a little bit of the popular choice, because they’re easy to try to hide and get into the jail,” Adam Dials said.

If drugs are snuck into a jail cell, administrators look for signs of intoxication as evidence of usage.

“Now, once you get in a cell, suboxone, it’s pretty hard to find unless you walk into the cell and see them intoxicated, but now, if they’re on meth, it’s pretty easy because you can watch the camera or just once you go in you can pretty much tell they are intoxicated,” Adam Dials said.

One of their biggest concerns is if fentanyl, a powerful drug considered by the CDC to be 50 times stronger than heroin, enters the building.

”If fentanyl or something like that was to get in here, and you know, seven or eight people get it, and they all overdose on it, here we are calling 911. Ambulance can probably take one at a time, but it would be deadly for it to come inside this building,” Adam Dials said.

With that noted, Dials said the body scanner is a really effective tool for detecting drugs.

If an overdose does happen inside the building, however, they have boxes of Narcan and medical staff on hand.

Administrators give local police any kind of drug that is detected as evidence.

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