New body scanner at WCDC now operational, new uses being found

The new body scanner at Whitley County Detention Center is now fully operational and being put to use.

The full body scanner system was purchased in March following approval by the Whitley County Fiscal Court to help keep the jail more secure by preventing contraband and other illegal items from entering the facility. The scanner has been installed at the jail for several weeks, but staff required formal training before it could be utilized.

Jailer Jason Wilson said that jail staff officially began using the scanner approximately two weeks ago.

The scanner is an advanced X-ray screening system that can allow jail staff to easily detect items that an inmate has hidden on their person, whether that be inside a body cavity or by ingestion. Inmates are placed on a platform that moves through the scanner, providing an image that details even the skeletal structure of the inmate. The entire process takes just a few seconds.

Wilson noted that the scanner can also help with the prevention of unintentional overdoses as well. There have instances of people swallowing balloons with narcotics in them before being arrested and then the balloon later tears once they’re in custody, quickly emptying the substance into their system. 

Additionally, Wilson said that the scanner is already proving to have other beneficial uses for the jail. 

Last week, an inmate told jail staff that they had swallowed an item that would normally have prompted a hospital visit; however, the inmate was placed in the scanner and it was learned that the item was still in their mouth. The jail’s nurse is also expected to use it to help identify potential breaks or fractures to bones in case of an injury.

The scanner was paid for through funds received by the federal government as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and was purchased by the county at a cost of $174,513.