Lauderdale County Detention Center adds two additions to jail to enhance safety for officers and inmates
LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Lauderdale County Detention Center recently added a new lock system to jail cell doors and a new system called 'Guardian' to keep track of inmates.
Locked in and no way out, a new state-of-the-art lock system is on every jail cell door inside the Lauderdale County Detention Center.
Gold Star families honored on Redstone Arsenal
Sheriff Joe Hamilton said the original locks had been used since the 1960s, so it was time to upgrade.
'We had a problem with some of the locks being popped inside of the jail, so we have come in and placed a more secure locking system inside the hallways where the cells are,' Hamilton said.
The Lauderdale County Detention Center recently got the guardian system, which helps corrections officers keep track of over 300 inmates.
Director of Corrections Matt Burbank said the Guardian system allows officers to stay on top of their responsibilities for inmates.
Alabama DCNR euthanizes alligator acting 'abnormally' in South Huntsville neighborhood
'It's designed to make sure everybody gets what they're supposed to get, making sure everyone is getting their proper food with the calorie intake, make sure they're getting medicine, their commissary if they want it, all that is now digitally logged,' Burbank said.
This is how it works, each inmate wears a wristband, that wristband is then used by the system to monitor where they go and what they do inside the jail.
Burbank said with the new system, they can make sure each inmate in the cell receives their meal each day.
Sheriff Hamilton said it also tracks when an inmate needs their medication or treatment.
'If someone is in a cell that may have a medical condition that may be on an elevated risk level the device will alert the corrections officer to check, even if they're busy, they'll get that alert that it's been 15 minutes to go check on this person then they'll scan and load it into the system,' Hamilton said.
Burbank said after Vicky White helped Casey White escape from the jail back in 2022, they continue to take new steps to crack down on security.
'It was very unsafe for the officers for other inmates because inmates have a lot of time to study stuff, and these locks were built in the 90s, so the new engineering just makes it safer for the inmates and my staff,' Burbank said.
Burbank also mentioned that more additions to the jail are in the works to continue the safety and wellbeing of staff and inmates.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
State wants more time to challenge Mac Marquette self-defense claim
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Tuesday was the deadline set by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals for the prosecution to file its response to the self-defense appeal of former Decatur Police Department Officer Mac Marquette. But the Alabama Attorney General's Office, which handles criminal appeals, asked the appeals court for 21 additional days to submit its filing. 'Help Ronnie's kids find joy amidst tragedy': Dumas family PI sets up GoFundMe for kids to attend summer camp Marquette is charged with murder in the on-duty shooting death of Stephen Perkins outside Perkins' Decatur home in September 2023 during a botched truck repossession. Perkins had reportedly pulled a gun on the truck driver earlier that evening. After that, the driver asked police to escort him, according to testimony at Marquette's immunity self-defense hearing in March. Testimony also showed officers agreed to go to Perkins' house, but they did not go to the door or make their presence known. Security footage from a neighbor's home shows Marquette hid near the side of Perkins' house and emerged as Perkins was pointing his gun at the repo truck driver. He yelled 'police' and ordered Perkins to get on the ground, body camera footage shows. Perkins turned toward Marquette and the then-officer fired multiple shots within two seconds of issuing the command. The defense has argued that Marquette was acting in self-defense when he shot Perkins. A Morgan County Circuit Court judge in late March denied Marquette's self-defense claim, finding that officers were not conducting an investigation at the time of the deadly encounter with Perkins. Under Alabama law, a person is justified in using deadly force if they have a reasonable belief that deadly force is about to be used against them or someone else. If the trial court had found Marquette acted in self-defense, the murder case would be over. Muscle Shoals man sentenced for stealing over $600,000 as pool contractor Marquette appealed the trial court's ruling to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in May. In that filing, his lawyers argue Perkins pointed his gun at Marquette, that Marquette feared for his life and that an ALEA investigator found Perkins was the aggressor that evening. In requesting more time for its response to Marquette's appeal, the Alabama Attorney General's Office said it is currently involved in complex cases before the Alabama Supreme Court and the courts of Civil Appeals and Criminal Appeals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Help Ronnie's kids find joy amidst tragedy': Dumas family PI sets up GoFundMe for kids to attend summer camp
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The private investigator for the family of the still-missing Huntsville realtor has set up a GoFundMe for the children to go to summer camp and for the eldest's birthday in a few days. 'Help Ronnie's kids find joy amidst tragedy,' James Andrews said. Ronald Leslie Dumas Jr., 37, was last seen on Dec. 15, 2024. A missing persons report was filed on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, and he was placed on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's Missing Persons List as a missing adult on Dec. 23. The Huntsville Police Department and ALEA upgraded the missing adult alert for Dumas to a missing and endangered person alert on Feb. 7, saying he 'is believed to have been abducted and in danger of bodily harm or death.' Andrews, the family's private investigator, has now created a GoFundMe to support Dumas' kids as they head into the summer months. 'Ronnie is a dedicated father who loves his children, and he was involved in every aspect of their lives right up until the moment he was taken away from them,' the GoFundMe reads. Kai is 12, Lindsi is 6 and Ryili is 4. 'Kai turns 13 on June 11th, and he wants to celebrate at the Lego store. Kai, Lindsi, and Ryili would all like to go to summer camp this year, and from personal experience, I know how beneficial that would be for them! Summer camp alone for the 3 kids will be a few thousand dollars, but it will be worth every penny to bring these children some joy and moments of peace,' Andrews wrote. ALL funds raised will go directly toward helping the kids feel some sense of normalcy while their mothers and other family members continue to help them navigate this crisis. As we continue to search for Ronnie and answers, we cannot forget about the impact this is having on his young children. We ask everyone that is able, please donate and share! Every contribution, no matter how small, helps us bring comfort and stability to these amazing kids during an unimaginable hard time. GoFundMe You can visit the GoFundMe page here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell launches campaign for Alabama Attorney General
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) — Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell has officially launched his campaign for Alabama Attorney General. Mitchell is known for his conservative rulings and tough-on-crime approach to law and order at the Alabama Supreme Court. 'With President Trump in the White House, we have a unique opportunity to get conservative wins here in Alabama,' Mitchell said. 'I'm running for Attorney General to stop the lawlessness, restore order, and dismantle Joe Biden's radical left wing policies.' If elected, Mitchell said that he intends to focus on the following issues: Crack Down on Violent Crime: 'Alabama is safer when criminals face real consequences. I will lock up violent offenders and make sure they stay locked up.' Enforce Immigration Law : 'I will make sure that Alabama does its part to aggressively pursue mass deportations.' Back the Blue: 'Our law enforcement officers are the thin blue line between order and chaos. They have my steadfast support.' Defend the Sanctity of Life: 'No matter the cost, I will stand firm to protect the unborn.' Fight the Woke Agenda: 'No boys in girls' sports. No DEI. No more woke nonsense.' A video of Jay Mitchell officially announcing his campaign can be found here. Mitchell first became a member of the Alabama Supreme Court in 2018, but recently resigned from his post. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
