Sheriff makes note of cell phone contraband

Oconee Sheriff Mike Crenshaw vows to do what’s possible to ensure that once criminal suspects are placed behind bars in the new county jail, they won’t be able to victimize someone on the outside by the use of a contraband cell phone.  Crenshaw takes note of plans by a Federal Communications Commissioner to come to Columbia next week to hold a field hearing to combat public safety threats by inmates’ use of a contraband cell phone.  The field hearing will be hosted by Governor Nikki Haley.  Crenshaw admits that contraband cell phones were a problem in the old jail.  He says, “This was one of the reasons we wanted to implement the video visitation in the new detention center.  It eliminates all access through visitation of a cell phone making it into our (new) facility.  We actually have an added benefit when it comes to cell phones in the new jail.  Due to the solid steel cells and poured concrete walls, there is virtually no cell phone signals that will work inside the facility.”   But Crenshaw said the problem needs to be addressed on a state level.