After three inmates died at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center in May alone, new devices to track vitals will help officers monitor inmates.
In a recent report by FOX 5 Atlanta, Sheriff Craig Owens said this comes at a time when staff is especially short-staffed.
“We just don’t have enough people to do some of the things we need to do,” Owens told FOX 5 Atlanta. “But we improve this by increasing our technology level.”
The new tags—PASS-5B detainee tags— will monitor inmate heart rates and alert jail staff if there is a problem, the report states. The tags are set to be released to those considered most at-risk first, with Cobb County being the first in the nation to test out the new devices.
According to the report, while the devices run at about $100 apiece, the jail commander said the county will not pay a dime unless they are proven to be effective.
This comes as six inmates have died behind bars since Owens took office last year, with two of the three deaths within the last month being ruled suicides, FOX 5 reports.
