Jail security improvements sought
Following high-profile escapes by three inmates at the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Facility over the summer, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is seeking to beef up security at the Devore jail.
At today’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors will be asked to approve $1.5 million in improvements that include higher fencing with more barbed wire.
In June, two inmates escaped from the jail by scaling the perimeter fences. They were caught several days later and participated in a re-enactment so sheriff’s officials could determine weaknesses with the fencing, according to a county memo.
Another inmate escaped on Aug. 28, scaling walls topped with razor wire and then climbing over another perimeter fence, the memo stated. That inmate, Darnell Keith Washington, is suspected of shooting and wounding a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy days later and is still at large.
“We have discovered some areas that need some attention and those are the areas in which we’re (planning) to strengthen security,” Undersheriff Bob Fonzi said.
The project includes replacing current barbed wire on top of fencing and roofs with multiple strands of barbed and razor wire, putting in place “no climb” mesh, and adding a barrier around a perimeter fence to prevent digging underneath.
The existing 10-foot-high perimeter fencing will be replaced with 14-foot-high fencing with mesh and razor wire on the top and the ground while new higher-intensity exterior lighting will be added to improve nighttime visibility.
The department also plans to replace what it described as “outdated” entry doors to the housing units with upgraded jail security doors along with expanded deputy work stations.
The project is on the board’s consent calendar, where noncontroversial items are typically approved in a single vote.
