Prison board approves $254,815 in camera and recruitment contracts as warden outlines staffing, security upgrades

Chester County Board of Inspectors approved an amendment and two contracts totaling $254,815 on Jan. 22 to add indoor cameras and pay for correctional officer recruitment services at the county prison, board members said.

The contracts come as Warden Gordon Roberts told the board the facility is addressing staffing shortages and completing security upgrades including new cameras, a fence-intrusion ("pit") detection system and expanded razor wire.

Roberts reported that the average daily inmate population for December 2024 was 673, down from 681 in December 2023; the total number of inmates committed to Chester County as of Dec. 31, 2024, was 669. He said there were no juveniles housed during the month. Central booking processed about 1,740 bookings in December; roughly half were released on bail and the remainder were committed. The county correctional center housed 31 residents in December, compared with 23 the prior year. Roberts said two transports to state correctional institutions during the month moved 15 individuals; 25 additional transfers were pending and nine returns were pending because of criminal actions.

Roberts provided health and discipline figures: 53 medical transports in December; 63 major misconduct incidents; 43 people housed in the restricted housing unit; roughly 160 video-conferencing hearings, which he estimated saved the county about $16,000; about 60% of inmates were on medical medications, 44% on psychiatric medication and about 9% were on suicide watch. He reported 68 inmates identified as seriously mentally ill, 15 of whom were receiving treatment at Norristown State Hospital, two awaiting beds and four with court orders for commitment.

On staffing, Roberts said the prison's authorized complement is 299; actual staffed positions were 209 at the time of the meeting, including 66 correctional officer ones, 12 corporals and 10 sergeants. "The days of us waiting for people to come to us are not there. We have to go after people," Roberts told the board, describing a renewed recruitment effort and contracts with outside firms that include a 90-day guarantee.

On security, Roberts described upgrades already in place and work in progress. Staff vehicles are equipped with tablets allowing officers on patrol to view any camera in the facility. The board was told the planned fence-detection ("pit") system will send alerts directly to tablets; the system requires an FCC license for the reporting frequency. Roberts said the facility now has 360-degree perimeter camera coverage, with motion detection that is still being tuned to avoid frequent false alarms caused by deer, wind or snow. He said razor wire has been added at middle and top sections of the fence and along roof lines. The board was told roof and most HVAC projects are expected to be finished by May 2025.

Robin Davis of the Department of Procurement and General Services presented three items the board approved in a single motion: an amendment with Unlimited Technologies Inc. for indoor camera installation under a COSTARS contract for $54,815, and two recruitment contracts—one with the Walls Group and one with Millennial Business Solutions—each for $100,000 and scheduled to begin Feb. 5, 2025, and to run through Feb. 4, 2026. Davis said the recruitment contracts are rate-based drawdown agreements and include a 90-day guarantee from the vendors.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes from Dec. 18, 2024 — Approved (voice vote) - Adoption of Jan. 22, 2025 agenda — Approved (voice vote) - Confirmation of 2025 meeting schedule — Approved (voice vote) - Approval of hires/rehire (8–9 personnel noted) — Approved (voice vote) - Transfers to sheriff's office — Approved (voice vote) - Approvals of retirements — Approved (voice vote) - Amendment and two contracts (Unlimited Technologies Inc.; Walls Group; Millennial Business Solutions), total $254,815 — Approved (voice vote) - Approval of vouchers submitted by controller — Approved (voice vote)

All recorded routine motions were approved by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.

The board had no public commenters on agenda or non-agenda items. The meeting was adjourned and an executive session followed.