Inmate body scanner installed in the Vernon County Jail

An X-Ray body scan machine will soon be part of the intake process at the Vernon County Jail.

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher announced on Thursday that a jail facility body scanner has been installed in the intake area of the jail.

Mosher said the body scanner, which works like an x-ray machine can pick up objects such as drugs, weapons and other illegal items hidden on a suspect’s body. The $185,000.00 machine was purchased on a grant that Chief Deputy, Travis Cole applied for earlier in the year.

“We have been trying to obtain a jail body scanner for several years and it’s nice to finally have one installed at no cost to the taxpayers,” said Cole.

Chief Deputy Cole said inmates are searched as part of the intake process, but body cavity searches are not part of that process. “This is a common way for suspects to smuggle drugs into jail facilities all around the country.”

Cole said the machine was somewhat like the scanner you go through at an airport. This will make the intake process faster and more secure at the same time.

Jail staff are scheduled to start training on the new device next week before it becomes part of the regular intake process.