County approves $18,000 replacement of failing food-pass locks at detention center

County commissioners approved a recommendation to purchase replacement food-pass locks for the county detention center after jail staff described equipment failures that have forced officers to open cell doors during feeding operations.

County staff presented a proposal from Crowder Detention for replacement of 96 food-pass locks at an estimated cost of $18,000. Jail commander Kevin Gilbald told commissioners the facility had not previously had a maintenance contract for the 20+-year-old locks and that failures were creating officer-safety issues: staff said they now sometimes must open doors to feed inmates, increasing the risk of confrontations.

Crowder Detention offered two options; the board approved Option 1 (replacement). Staff also described an automatic follow-on option to install adjustable surface-mounted hinges on identified problem doors if needed. A motion to accept Option 1 was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote. Marcia read back the approved amount as $18,000 during the meeting.

County staff said the purchase aims to restore safety protocols that allow food to be passed through locked openings rather than opening cells during feeding time.