Four more nurses will be staffing the jail’s booking section, where inmates first arrive and receive a health screening by medical staff, according to the commission. EMTs currently work with incoming inmates.
The contract change comes a month after a sixth inmate death was reported at the county’s jail this year. More inmate deaths have been reported at the jail this year than the previous two years combined.
Investigation reports obtained by the newspaper through a public records request point to at least half of these deaths relating to drug intoxication. Three death investigations are still pending.
Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said the jail is seeing a population that is sicker, more mentally ill and more addicted than ever before.
Streck said the addition of educated and experienced nurses working at the jail’s intake portion will benefit the health and safety of inmates coming into the jail.
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