Jackson County committee forwards sheriff’s Tech 84 body scanner request to full board

Sheriff Shutey asked the Transportation Committee to forward a request for a Tech 84 body scanner to the full Jackson County Board of Commissioners, saying the device would help detect contraband smuggled into the county jail.

Shutey described the device as “about as big as a closet,” saying a person walks inside and is scanned using a low‑grade x‑ray. “It allows us to detect metallic and nonmetallic items that might be smuggled into the jail or otherwise hidden on a person,” he said, adding that contraband has contributed to overdoses and weapons incidents at the facility.

The sheriff said the county used the low construction bid of $10,006.40 from Grama Construction to build the enclosure inside the facility; he also described purchasing a three‑year extended warranty (for a total four‑year warranty period) after consulting other sheriff’s offices that said most failures occur within the first two to three years.

Commissioners asked practical questions about timing, training and safety. The sheriff said installation and enclosure construction should take about one to two months and that vendor training is minimal and included with the purchase. He said vendor research indicated no contraindications for people using the unit and that its radiation exposure is a small fraction of a hospital x‑ray.

Funding and next steps The chair confirmed the purchase and installation will be paid from the Sheriff’s capital funds. After brief discussion, Commissioner Behr moved and Commissioner Williams supported forwarding the request to the full board with a recommendation of approval; a roll‑call vote was recorded and the motion passed.

What happens next The county will bring the request to the full Board of Commissioners for final approval and proceed with scheduling installation if approved.