SARC On Grand Mesa and Bodyscanner Equipment Purchase

Media inquiries of MCSO for September 09, 2013

Video available below

Search & Rescue on the Grand Mesa

Mesa County, Colo. -- At 8:17am today, a party of people camping at the Skyway Point area of the Grand Mesa reported to dispatch that an adult male, 55-years-old, did not return to their camp with a group of them who had went out on a hike. It is unclear whether that hike was early this morning or yesterday.

The missing hiker had rain gear, little water and no food. At 10:47 am, the missing hiker was reported to have walked out to a road and caught a ride back to his camp. No medical attention was needed.

Mission ended for MCSO.

Commissioners Approve Purchase

As for the Bodyscanner, it was approved for Mesa County Facilities to move forward with purchasing the equipment as part of the consent agenda in public hearing today. The purchase will be made with the excess capital funds that were not used up in the recent Mesa County Detention booking area remodel (which can only be used for capital improvements). That excess was about $300,000 capital dollars and the total Bodyscanner equipment will be located in our booking area and will cost about $195,000 (includes shipping, installation, training, etc.). Questions about the excess capital dollars not used by MCSO should be directed to the County/Facilities.

The scanner will make it safer and easier for all inmates booked into our jail to walk through the scanner instead of those who qualify to be strip searched (meaning a same sex deputy has to be available to do the strip search, which is very invasive for inmates, unpleasant for everyone and time/resource consuming for jail staff).

The Bodyscanner shows the skeleton and not soft body tissue, but detects drugs, weapons, make-up, cigarettes and any other contraband. The equipment is expected to take no less than 8 weeks to even arrive. Then installation and training before it's put to use.

It is a Facilities purchase on our behalf and at our request, so Ryan Cook may also be able to provide more information in addition to our part of this process (for media).
To view a video clip of Sheriff Hilkey talking about this equipment, visit our YouTube webpage.