FAIRFIELD — The 2015-16 Solano County grand jury came away impressed with the work at the Juvenile Detention Center Complex, but said a number of facility and security upgrades are needed.
A report from the grand jury released Thursday praised the overall cleanliness, educational opportunities and professional attitude of the facility personnel, but listed three recommendations to upgrade several security matters and noted the need for general maintenance.
Messages seeking comment Thursday were left for Dean Farrah, superintendent of the center, and Kelley Baulwin-Johnson, the Probation Services manager, but were not immediately returned.
The first recommendation is to upgrade the “call-up button” for the monitoring system in order to better utilize the various cameras in the facility.
“Control room staff has the responsibility to monitor all movements in the facility, opening all of the doors and monitoring cameras throughout the facility. There are currently 128 cameras located throughout the complex,” the grand jury report states.
“Watching all of the cameras at the same time is difficult due to the limited number of monitors,” the report states. “Staff indicated a control panel monitor system upgrade, called a ‘call-up button,’ could be added to the current control panel to assist the Control Room staff in the event of an emergency.”
Such a call-up button upgrade would help to identify camera locations, assist with doors that need to be opened and quickly identify people coming in or going out of the facility, the report notes.
The grand jury also recommends upgrading the intercom system.
An all-call intercom system at the facility provides general and emergency information throughout the entire complex and also has the ability to isolate communication to a specific area as needed, the report states. The current system also has a time restriction on messaging, “which could have a negative impact in an emergency.”
The final recommendation notes the need for general maintenance in parts of the facility, such as painting, lighting and furniture in the oldest section of the center.
“During our tour of the Challenge Academy Facility, it was noted that it was the oldest building in the complex and is in need of some significant upgrades or maintenance,” the report states.
That includes the grand jury’s recommendation to “replace interior and exterior doors to accommodate a key card system.”
This was the fourth report the grand jury has issued this spring.
June 10, 2016
Daily Republic
By Todd R. Hansen
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