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County adds more medical sensors to jail cells

The Chelan County Regional Justice Center recently completed the installation of 44 additional medical sensors, bringing its total to 68 sensors now installed in single-occupancy cells at the facility.

The county jail started installing the medical sensors, which detect sudden changes in heart rates and breathing, last year to better serve a population that has become increasingly sick with chronic conditions as well as drug and alcohol addictions.

“With today’s opioid crisis, we must do our part to ensure we are providing the safest environment possible for those people we are entrusted to care for,” said Chris Sharp, director of the Regional Justice Center.

At the jail, if a mandatory booking – this includes all felony arrests, DUIs and domestic violence charges – arrived and a sensored cell was not available, these people had to be put into a non-sensored cell and jail staff then triaged the person. With the installation of the additional sensors, the county has increased the facility's ability to receive and care for more people, Sharp said.  

“With the additional sensors installed, we hope to be able to process more people into the facility who we know will be detoxing,” Sharp said. “These sensors will allow our staff to respond in a timely manner to what could be a critical medical event, in hopes to, first and foremost, save lives, but to also lower the risk and liability to the county and provide a safer, more secure environment for both the incarcerated and our staff.”

The jail used opioid settlement dollars to purchase the additional 44 sensors. Douglas County also contributed opioid settlement dollars and a grant from the statewide county risk pool. The cost of the additional sensors, including purchase, installation and maintenance through 2028, is $359,400.

The Regional Justice Center was recently honored with the 2025 Detention Facility Innovation Award by the National Institute for Jail Operations for its utilization of new technologies, including the medical sensors.

Last Updated: 07/10/2025 12:29 PM

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