Oklahoma County detention center reports increased DOC transports, staffing hires and tech pilots

Mark Upgreen, presenting to the Oklahoma County Citizens Advisory Board, delivered a detailed monthly report on operations at the Oklahoma County Detention Center, highlighting transport agreements with the Department of Corrections, new hires in medical services, several technology upgrades and ongoing contraband-interdiction efforts.

Upgreen said the jail purchased two transport buses and received a third as a gift from the Arnel Family Foundation, bringing the transportation fleet to four vehicles. "We actually purchased 2 and received 1, as a gift, I guess, from the Arnel Family Foundation," he said. He told the board that, under a recent arrangement, the county is now sending approximately 36 male and one female J&S (judgment-and-sentenced) transports per week to DOC intake locations; that figure is up from roughly 12 previously and is intended to reduce the county's J&S population.

On staffing and training, Upgreen said a recent detention officer academy graduated 13 cadets (from about 20 starters) and that a January 5 academy is scheduled with roughly 10 people slated to start; the goal is 20–25 recruits for the next class. He said the center remains understaffed and uses an eight-week academy plus on-the-job training to prepare officers, noting the state minimum is only 24 hours of training.

Medical staffing changes include a contract with Total Medical Staffing Agency to provide LPNs and RNs. Upgreen said "we've added about 20 new staff" to the medical division and that the facility currently has roughly 51 medical staff with a goal to exceed 70. He reported purchases of an EKG machine, two medical stretchers and 10 thicker mattresses for pregnant and elderly detainees, and said the facility's new CFO and business manager are reviewing off-site medical bills to check for overcharges.

Upgreen described a pilot of an in-cell radar monitoring system called Integrity Communications Solution. "It can track residents' heart rate, breathing and movements within a cell," he said, adding 43 units are installed on the 13th (medical) floor for testing and that alarms would alert staff when readings cross set thresholds.

On contraband and investigations, Upgreen said the facility's investigative teams filed 12 charges in October and opened 18 new cases related to contraband, trafficking, conspiracy and computer crimes. He presented seized improvised weapons recovered during cell searches and described efforts to identify contraband entering through legal mail and other methods.

Upgreen also gave population and utilization figures. He told the board the count was 1,500 on Nov. 10 and 1,488 the morning of the meeting. He reported J&S counts of about 178 at the time of the meeting (down from earlier figures). Monthly releases totaled about 2,100 and the average length of stay was about 6.8–7 days. Upgreen said October ER transfers numbered 52, 23 inmates spent 80 hospital days in October, and the facility issued three Narcan doses that month; he said two Narcan doses had been administered in November so far, compared with 20 in November 2024.

Board members asked whether DOC reimburses transport costs; Upgreen replied that under state statute DOC pays $31 per day for sentenced inmates while they remain in county custody. He estimated the original Integrity Communications pilot contract cost roughly $45,000 when equipment was purchased and confirmed the 55 new computers are for staff use.

The board did not need to formally approve the report; members asked for additional follow-up on commissary pricing, a breakdown of off-site ER destinations and for staff to continue work on staffing and release-processing improvements.

The presentation and question-and-answer period concluded with the chair thanking Upgreen for the report.