Sheriff Tom Spangler defended his staff against allegations of neglect at the Knox County detention facility, speaking to Knox County Commission this week. Here is the sheriff’s statement:
The allegation that the jail is overcrowded is not true. The facility has been under its rated capacity of 1,085 since March 19, 2020. Our current headcount for the detention facility is 637, or 400 under the rated capacity.
The allegation that there are 2-3 to a cell is not true. The detention facility has a single inmate in every cell, with the exception of Unit 3 which is a dormitory-style housing unit.
Hand sanitizer is not distributed because the inmates drink it, which results in visits to the Emergency Room.
From April 1-18, 2,535.98 hours of cleaning were logged; cleaning supplies were issued and returned 865 times.
The allegations that there is a shortage of medical staff is false. The Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility staffs:
- Contracted Physician
- Contracted Psychologist
- Part-time Dentist and Full-time Dental Assistant
- Full-time X-ray Technician
- Pharmacy Supervisor
- 9 Medical Technicians
- 13 LPNs
- 7 RNs
- 3 Administrative Assistants
The allegation that those with known medical conditions are not being cared for is false. In addition to the medical staff listed above, inmates that have chronic illnesses are placed in Heart Healthy Housing; extra precautions are taken to ensure their well-being, he said.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there have been protocols put into place to further ensure the health and safety of both inmates and employees at the detention facility:
- A Screening which includes a series of questions along with body temperature checks are conducted for all persons entering the facility to include, employees, vendors and official visitors.
- Screenings for all arrestees are conducted in the sally port prior to the arrestee being taken inside the facility.
- A physical is completed on all arrestees in intake before he/she is moved to pre-class housing.
As Sheriff of Knox County, I can assure the citizens that I have and will continue to operate a constitutional jail. In addition, my primary concern is the safety of our citizens, my employees and the inmates inside our facilities.