Police

Jail scanner now being used to screen La Crosse County prisoners

Published

5 years ago

February 21, 2019

New high-tech security has arrived at the La Crosse County jail.

A body scanner, purchased late last year by the sheriff’s department, has been delivered. The jail staff is now being trained how to look for items being smuggled in by prisoners.

The county was planning to buy the $118,000 scanner this year but a near-fatal prisoner overdose in 2018 persuaded the county board to make the purchase sooner.

A sheriff’s officer demonstrated to reporters Thursday how a video screen could show unusual things — for example, a packet of drugs hidden behind a woman’s ear.

La Crosse County Sheriff Jeff Wolf said the scanner will pay for itself, if it prevents prisoners from being hurt by weapons or using dangerous drugs.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.