The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office will soon receive new technology that could tighten security inside the county’s jail.
At a regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 26, the Stephens County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of a Tek84 Intercept body scanner. The scanner, developed in 2018, is the “only American-made body scanner that detects both metallic and nonmetallic threats, including weapons, drugs, cell phones and other contraband,” according to officials.
Funded through an opioid settlement grant issued to Stephens County in 2021, the cost of the new scanner is just over $178,000. Officials believe this technology will “significantly reduce” illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, weapons and other contraband that have been brought into the Stephens County Jail in the past.
“The opioid crisis has had a profound impact on communities nationwide, including Stephens County. As part of our ongoing efforts to combat this epidemic, it is essential to enhance our law enforcement and correctional capabilities,” Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said. “This state-of-the-art technology will significantly improve our ability to detect contraband, including illegal substances that may be smuggled into the facility.”
The body scanner will screen subjects from head-to-foot with X-ray technology and potentially reveal any items that could be concealed under clothing or within the body.
During a scan, using low-dose radiation, subjects stand within a 3-by-6-foot stationary platform for 3.8 seconds. The technology is said to provide higher resolution to produce high quality images with little-to-no distortion.
