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Politics & Government

County Spends $152,898 to Search Jail Cells

The county's jails, including the Southwest Detention Center in French Valley, will get new X-ray scanners to search inmates' cells.

The county is set to spend $152,898 on high-tech scanners to search cells in local jails.

Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff's request for a half-dozen new X-ray scanners to be used for searching inmates' jail cells was approved today by the Board of Supervisors.

All jails in the county, including the in French Valley, will get the technology, according to county documents.

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In a 4-0 vote, with board Chairman John Tavaglione absent, the supervisors authorized the Sheriff's Department to purchase six mobile scanners from Industry-based Astrophysics Inc. at a total cost of $152,898. 

According to an agency document, the devices will be provided to correctional personnel at the county's five detention facilities, where the scanners will aid in "identifying and reducing the introduction of weapons and contraband ... (and) assist in the detection of weapons and contraband already in the possession of inmates.''

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Scanners have been utilized for jail cell inspections for well over a decade, primarily to examine the contents of inmates' property boxes, according to sheriff's officials.

The Astrophysics equipment distinguishes between organic material, such
as narcotics, and non-organic matter, such as a knife.

The county solicited bids from eight vendors to supply high-quality scanners at the lowest possible cost. Three prospects responded, with price packages ranging from $152,000 to $235,000, and Astrophysics was selected.

The expense will not exceed the sheriff's budget, officials said.

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