Prison orders new radios, prepares for software training
New portable radios for Butler County Prison have been ordered with a price to be finalized by next week, warden Beau Sneddon said in a meeting Tuesday, July 15.
The prison board approved a radio equipment quote from Motorola Solutions for about $354,432 at a June 17 meeting.
The prison is still waiting on the results of last week’s coverage test to see how many radios and amplifiers will be needed, according to Sneddon. He credited county emergency services director Steve Bicehouse with facilitating the sale.
The jail paid BearCom, a radio system contractor, about $104,000 for the current radio system with about 70 radios. It already has two potential buyers.
“It will probably be … around two-thirds of what we paid for it,” Sneddon said about selling the radio system.
The prison is also preparing to conduct Cypherworx training July 30 for IGNITE, an initiative by the National Sheriff’s Association to offer education, job training and post-incarceration opportunities for prison inmates. Cypherworx, an education app paired with the IGNITE program, will allow incarcerated individuals to learn skills through evidence-based curriculum and community volunteering, Sneddon said.
Slippery Rock University is helping to add therapy and welfare programs to the curriculum with classes beginning in October. It will also provide a nutritionist and exercise science professional to create individualized workout and dieting programs.
The prison board also approved an updated memorandum of understanding with the Allegheny County Jail. The agreement is renewed every year. The two correctional institutions will swap inmates when needed, but Sneddon said the county has never paid Allegheny County to house inmates.
Sneddon also said a new union will represent prison correctional officers. He received notice July 3 from the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board saying the National Correctional Employees Union will now represent them instead of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Sneddon said he’s waiting to hear from the union head.
Prison board members Commissioner Kevin Boozel and County Controller Benjamin Holland attended the meeting via Zoom. District Attorney Richard Goldinger was absent.
In other business, the prison board:
- Approved expenditures of $8,124,399, or about 49% of budgeted expenses, through June 30.
- Approved revenue of $3,356,966, or about 45% of budgeted revenue, through June 30.
- Hired a full-time correctional officer.
- Reported 375 total inmates being housed as of July 9.
- Reported 176 federal inmates and four inmates from other counties being housed as of July 9.
