More NC counties seek special technology to stop inmates from sneaking in weapons, drugs
More North Carolina counties are seeking high-tech, X-ray detectors aimed at preventing weapons and drugs from making it inside jails.
Nash County’s jail was among the first in the state to purchase a Tek84 machine, which can detect weapons, drugs, phones and other contraband. Nash County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Daniel Wrenn says he believes the detections have saved lives.
"A handgun is very dangerous, especially when we’re not even allowed to carry our guns past this point," Wrenn said, pointing to the jail entrance. "So, if [inmates] make it past this point with a handgun, that could definitely be deadly."
Wrenn showed images produced by the scanner to WRAL Investigates, demonstrating that it has located multiple guns, a homemade shank and various kinds of drugs located on inmates. Often, the prohibited items are hidden in inconspicuous places – tucked into groin areas or crevices of the body. In one instance, Wrenn showed a scan from an inmate he said had swallowed balloons full of heroin, hoping to pass the drugs through his digestive system while in jail. All of these items were missed during pat downs preceding the X-rays.
"He was essentially coming in as a drug dealer to get it in the population," Wrenn explained. "He would’ve probably made quite a bit a money on that amount of drugs."
Nash County purchased the technology in 2021 using roughly $150,000 in COVID relief funding. Because of its success, Wrenn says multiple law enforcement agencies have reached out to him and come by for demonstrations, interested in purchasing the technology for their own facilities.
WRAL Investigates reached out to county sheriff’s offices in central North Carolina to see who else has or wants similar technology.
Edgecombe County already has it, and spokespersons for both the Orange and Wake County Sheriff’s Offices told WRAL Investigates they would like to get it.
In Wake County, spokesperson Rosalia Fodera said the sheriff’s office has already received funding to buy it, and is "in the engineering and architectural stage with the county."
The machine in Nash County takes only seconds to run, as inmates step inside of it just outside the jail entrance.
Wrenn believes every jail in the state should have one, saying it promotes the safety of staff and inmates.
"I’m pretty confident with a trained person running this machine," he said. "There shouldn’t be any weapons making it past this."
