HOW TO BUILD A

CONTRABAND
DETECTION STRATEGY

AND WHY
IT MATTERS

Sponsored by

1 How to build a layered contraband detection strategy

EDITOR’S NOTE
Correctional facilities must maintain a
carefully controlled environment for the
safety and well-being of inmates and staff.
This includes stopping the flow of smuggled
contraband of any kind – whether drugs,
weapons, cellphones or other prohibited
items. These can quickly disrupt the order
behind bars, and detection and confiscation
of contraband can prevent drug abuse,
violence and further criminal acts.
In this eBook, you’ll learn why a layered
screening strategy is so important and how
X-ray and trace detection can help your
facility plug holes, as well as practical tips for
screening people and parcels. You’ll also learn
how a portable air quality monitor can help
detect COVID and other airborne pathogens to
help contain outbreaks early to better protect
the health and safety of inmates and staff alike.
– Nancy Perry, Corrections1 Editor-in-Chief
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
ABOUT THE SPONSOR
Smiths Detection is a global leader in threat
detection and screening technologies for
the military, air transportation, homeland
security, civil protection and emergency
response markets. We offer a diverse
range of contraband screening systems
designed to be reliable, effective and easy
to operate while offering longevity and low
maintenance. Within the corrections and
law enforcement markets, our products are
used to screen inmates, visitors, baggage
and deliveries for contraband, illegal items
and hazardous materials. Our experience
and history across more than 40 years in
business enables us to provide unrivalled
levels of expertise to detect and identify
constantly changing threats, as well as
weapons, contraband and narcotics.
Sponsored by
2
ABOUT THE AUTHORS CONTENTS
Philip J. Swift is currently serving as a city
marshal in the DFW area of Texas and has been 4 SHUT THE BACK DOOR
ON CONTRABAND AND
a law enforcement officer since 1998. He holds
CONTAMINATED FOOD
a Ph.D. in forensic psychology, and his areas
of research include behavioral learning theory,
cognitive schemes, group psychology and
historical trauma theory. He has several published
8 WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT
CATCHING CONTRABAND
works and regularly speaks locally and nationally IN JAIL MAIL
regarding his research and expertise in law
enforcement and criminal culture.
12 HOW X-RAY SCREENING
HELPED THIS JAIL ELIMINATE
Rachel Zoch has written about public safety
products and issues important to police, fire, DRUG SMUGGLING INCIDENTS
EMS and corrections since 2015. A University of
Texas journalism graduate, she previously led the
copy desk of a local daily newspaper and served
16 AUTOMATE X-RAY SCREENING
TO SEE MORE, FASTER
as managing editor of a trade magazine for the
multifamily housing industry.
20 HOW THIS TABLETOP TOOL
PROVIDES PROACTIVE
DETECTION FOR COVID-19
AND OTHER PATHOGENS

3 How to build a layered contraband detection strategy

SHUT THE BACK DOOR
ON CONTRABAND AND
CONTAMINATED FOOD
Get the right tools to help
you screen deliveries, food
and other items
By Philip J. Swift
On October 24, 2020, deputies working at a Palm
Beach County jail intercepted papers soaked
with cocaine that a visitor was attempting to
pass to inmates. During the investigation, it was
determined that six pages had been soaked with
a total of 29.5 grams of cocaine – with a black-
market jail value of approximately $18,000.
Although, this is an all-too-common event in jails,
detention centers and prisons worldwide, what
made this event newsworthy was that the visitor
was an attorney. As an attorney, this visitor was
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
privileged with unfettered access to his client to
ensure that his client’s constitutional rights were
upheld, and he was expected to abide by his oath
as an officer of the court.
This attorney’s betrayal of trust (and others
like him) reminds me that we must always be
diligent in our efforts to ensure the security of
our facilities and the health of those within them,
even if the risks they face, such as overdosing on
cocaine, are of their own making.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT
YOU DON’T KNOW
During my tenure as the director of security for
a large sheriff’s department, it became clear that
whenever something moves through the secured
perimeter, there is an opportunity for contraband
to be introduced. Amongst my files you could
find examples of every type of introduction
scheme inmates could come up with, including
4
compromised drug counselors, inmate work
crew scams and even the use of a slingshot and
a drone to deliver contraband. Not to mention
several cases where inmates contracted diseases
of unknown origin that should not have been
found in a jail amongst long-term inmates.
Further, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the
need to reduce the risk of food contaminants,
viruses, pathogens and other biologics that
can cause mass medical emergencies or other
incidents. When you consider the risk that
pathogens or contaminants pose to jails and
those in them, preventing introduction to these
threats must be prioritized along with traditional
forms of contraband.
In an environment that most outsiders would
deem secure, the unfortunate truth is that it
leaks like the proverbial sieve. The walls, fences,
staff and locked doors that make up a jail often
lull us into a false sense of security where we
believe that if contraband is not being recovered
or an outbreak has not occurred, then we must
be addressing these risks effectively. However,
what we usually discover is that if we are not
recovering contraband, it means the inmates
5 How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
have found a new means of introducing and
concealing it that we have yet to uncover.
Likewise with pathogens and contaminants.
We cannot conclude that we are effectively
limiting this risk because we have not yet
detected them. Since pathogens, biologics and
contaminants are generally invisible, they can
be easily and unintentionally introduced to a
facility – but they cannot and should not be
overlooked. If there are any lessons worth
passing on from my experiences, they are
“You don’t know what you don’t know” and
“What you don’t know can and will hurt you.”
SHUT THE BACK DOOR BY
INSPECTING SUPPLY DELIVERIES
How does one shut the back door on
contraband like drugs and weapons in a complex
environment? How can we hope to detect food
containments and biological pathogens that are
easily spread throughout a population?
The first step is to identify high-traffic areas
where large amounts of people or supplies
move in and out of the secured area. The
delivery docks, mailrooms, primary entrances
and entrances used by contractors and facility
operations are prime candidates for careful
inspection. The busier an area is, the more likely
it is that contraband and potential contaminants
will go undetected.
The second step is admitting that your current
protocols and procedures may need updating.
The final step is to reduce the risk these
areas pose. Remember – once you are aware
of a liability or risk, you are required to take
reasonable precautions to address it to
ensure the safety and security of the facility
and those inside.
5 TOOLS TO IDENTIFY CONTRABAND
AND CONTAMINANTS
Now, with all this in mind, addressing
vulnerabilities can be easily achieved with
a handful of screening tools offered by
Smiths Detection. The HI-SCAN 5030C, HI-
SCAN100100V-2is, IONSCAN, Target-ID and
Zephyr tools can be divided into three categories:
X-ray screening, trace detection and food
safety, to help you choose the right tool for
the right vulnerabilities.
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
X-ray screening:
Historically, the key barriers to this technology
have been the size of the item being scanned
and the ability to move the unit easily when
needed. The compact, mobile Smiths Detection
HI-SCAN 5030C is an ideal X-ray scanning
device for screening individuals entering secure
areas. The HI-SCAN 5030C is easy to use and
can be transported to various locations easily to
inspect mail and smaller packages to discover
contraband that can be seized and confirmed by
a manual search.
When it comes to larger package and parcels,
the HI-SCAN 100100V-2is is well-suited for
mailroom and delivery docks. Designed for cargo
screening, this X-ray machine provides both a
horizontal and a vertical view for a thorough
screening, reducing the need to examine items
multiple times, open boxes or sift through food for
manual inspection.
Trace Detection:
Trace detection systems provide the ability
to detect invisible amounts of narcotics and
explosives with an analysis time of less than 10
6
seconds. Whether screening deliveries or inmate
belongings, the IONSCAN 600 offers mobility,
accuracy and ease of use, which makes it ideal
for a correctional environment. The portability
and sensitivity of the IONSCAN 600 means it’s
versatile enough to be used at entrances or
during cell searches, or points of entry, to round
out any screening program.
Narcotics identification:
Sending suspected narcotics to an off-premise
drug lab to be identified can add weeks or
months onto an investigation. Additionally, time
is wasted when results come back negative for
narcotics. The Target-ID is a handheld narcotics
identifier that acts like a portable drug lab. With
2,500 substances preloaded into its identification
library, the Target-ID can return analysis results
in up to 1 minute. Results are court admissible
evidence and can make investigations and
prosecution more efficient.
Food & facility safety:
The ability to ensure that the food products,
areas, surfaces and individuals in your facility
are free of bacteria, viruses and toxins that
7 How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
would otherwise go undetected should be a
primary concern of all facilities in this post-
COVID world. The speed in which a pathogen
or contaminants can bring a facility to a
screeching halt cannot be dismissed.
Smiths Detection offers the Zephyr biothreat
detector that uses CANARY detection technology
to help identify the presence of foodborne
pathogens. This tool provides the ability to rapidly
detect pathogens including listeria, salmonella
and E. coli on site, without the need to send
samples out for costly laboratory testing.
The specificity and speed of results makes
this easy-to-use tool ideal for use in jails
where transmission and infection rates can
skyrocket quickly.
Every correctional facility needs basic supplies
like food, office supplies and toilet paper, but
these back-door deliveries can be overlooked
as a potential source of facility compromise.
Consider adopting technologies like those
described above to help your staff quickly and
accurately screen internal entrance points and
deliveries to catch more contraband and promote
health and safety inside your facility.
WHAT I LEARNED
ABOUT CATCHING
CONTRABAND IN
JAIL MAIL
A former jail administrator
recounts lessons learned from
a contraband crackdown
– in particular, why
screening the mail is
so important

How to build a layered contraband detection strategy 8

By Philip J. Swift
If life behind bars were a living organism,
contraband would be its life force. In an
environment where cash is virtually useless,
contraband has become the preferred tender
of the black market created and leveraged by
inmates to meet essential needs and, more often
than not, satisfy many of their wants and desires.
Regardless of the inmate, for an individual to
successfully get contraband, they must have
access to the contraband directly or to people
who can facilitate the introduction of contraband.
Without fail, inmates will choose the path of
least resistance. For example, there is no need
to recruit a staff member to bring contraband
to them when an inmate can find a friend or
relative to mail contraband to them. Best of all,
when mail contraband mailed to a facility is not
detected, facility staff delivers the contraband
directly to you.
IDENTIFYING CONTRABAND
IN THE COUNTY JAIL
While assigned to the Denver County Jail as
a gang/intelligence investigator early in my
9 How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
career, we became aware of a multifaceted
contraband introduction ring involving dozens
of co-conspirators inside and outside the facility.
As with many contraband investigations, this
one began when an inmate was caught with
prohibited items, specifically cash and marijuana.
Interestingly enough, it was not until the third
time this inmate was caught with contraband
that an in-depth investigation into the inmate’s
activities was undertaken. Although we were
beginning to understand the breadth and depth
of this inmate’s operations, the sheer size of this
conspiracy did not become apparent until the
policy regarding what items and how items could
be mailed to inmates was changed.
Prior to the change in policy, inmates could
have socks, T-shirts, underwear, books, writing
materials and other items mailed to them. This
policy was initially implemented to ensure that
the inmates had a process to obtain quality of life
items without buying them from the commissary
at a higher cost. Although it was well known to
inmates and staff that contraband was being
introduced through the mail while this policy was
in place, it became apparent when the policy
changed that the amount of contraband being
introduced through the mail was more than
anyone could have imagined.
SHUTTING DOWN THE MAIN
SMUGGLING ROUTE
Knowing that a flood of contraband into the
mailroom was likely to occur when the inmates
were told that the policy would change on a
specific date, the mailroom was instructed to
notify me as contraband was discovered. After
hearing nothing from the mailroom for several
days, I went to the mailroom to check in with
the staff. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a pile
of narcotics contraband boxes. As it turns out,
the mailroom was so inundated with contraband
that they had decided to wait until the rush of
packages was over to contact me so that I would
not be making constant trips to the mailroom.
Frankly, I was overwhelmed with the number
of cases that this flood of contraband-laden
boxes represented. Once I was able to handle
these cases, it became apparent that there
was a much broader conspiracy at play than
I had initially thought.
Over the next several months, it was determined
that this conspiracy included white supremacists,
a street gang and tagging crew members,
inmate associates and family members, including
sisters, daughters, mothers and grandmothers.
Primarily, family members would send contraband
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
disguised as legal mail or bookstore shipments,
or hide it outside the facility where inmate work
crews could recover it and introduce it to the
facility via dirty mop buckets.
The contraband included marijuana, cell phones,
narcotics, cash – and plans to introduce a firearm.
Thankfully, the introduction of a firearm was
considered too risky by the inmate arranging it
because it was to be used to assassinate a staff
member – specifically me.
On sweep day, 11 people were arrested or
charged, resulting in a 100% conviction rate.
Although a very successful operation, this
was a long-term multi-jurisdictional operation
that required thousands of hours devoted to
electronic monitoring, surveillance and
screening operations, not to mention luck.
Further, it was discovered that these inmates
had been introducing contraband in this
manner for over a year.
LESSONS LEARNED: SEARCH EARLY
AND OFTEN, USING TECH TOOLS TO
BOOST EFFICIENCY
During the case debriefing, the following
deficiencies were discovered:
1. The policy allowing items to be mailed to
inmates was easily manipulated.
10
 2. Contraband detection required that many
of the required searches be done by hand,
resulting in human error being the primary
reason contraband was not detected.
3. The facility had failed to provide staff
members with technologies that increased
proficiency and efficiency.
4. Contraband was so common in the facility
that staff became indifferent, resulting in
filing a minimum number of contraband
possession and introduction charges. This
indifference led inmates to try to introduce
contraband at higher rates.
The biggest lesson learned from this
investigation is that an effective contraband
interdiction plan must be proactive rather than
reactive. Further, contraband interdiction plans
must also be designed to detect all threats to
security, including those that cannot be seen
with the naked eye.
In a world of ever-changing threats, a number of
technologies can help your facility stay on top
of the contraband challenge. Smiths Detection
provides tools for X-ray inspections of both
people and packages, as well as detection tools
to screen for chemical and biological agents.
These include:
11
• The IONSCAN 600 lightweight, portable
desktop system detects and identifies
trace amounts of narcotics, including
fentanyl and spice.
• The HI-SCAN 5030C compact X-ray system
can be placed at visitor checkpoints, staff
entrances and in the mailroom to screen
personal belongings and envelopes and
small parcels.
• The HI-SCAN 100100V X-ray system
is designed for screening deliveries
containing large packages and
bundled goods.
• The B-SCAN walk-through X-ray body
scanner provides a hands-off and highly
accurate screening method to detect
objects concealed on or in the body.
• The BioFlash Biological Identifier with
MailGuard detects biological contaminants
like viruses, bacteria and fungi, both in the
air and in the mail.
The compact design and portability of these
tools allow them to be used in tandem or
individually to fulfill the varying operational
needs of a correctional facility. By developing a
layered screening system with multiple tools and
checkpoints, you can narrow the gaps to better
keep contraband out of your facility.
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
How X-ray
screening helped
this jail eliminate
drug smuggling
incidents
Adding the B-SCAN body
scanner to the screening
process made it next to
impossible for inmates to
sneak drugs into the facility
By Rachel Zoch
COVID protocols had slowed intakes to a crawl
for the jail in Delta County, Michigan – but that
hadn’t stopped offenders from smuggling in
drugs, particularly meth. Jail administrators were
looking for a way to better screen inmates for
contraband and decided to invest in an X-ray
body scanner.
Sgt. Jeff Vallier, recently promoted to jail
commander, was instrumental in procuring and
deploying the machine. He says incorporating the
body scanner into their screening process made
a huge difference within weeks.
MORE INMATES, MORE PROBLEMS
Delta County expanded its jail facility in 2019 from
about 88 beds to 156. COs quickly discovered
that their established inmate screening process
wasn’t catching all the contraband, especially as
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
inmates seem increasingly willing to hide drugs
inside their bodies.
“With more inmates came more problems,
especially with our work release program,” said
Vallier. “They were smuggling in drugs and
chewing tobacco, and a normal strip search
wasn’t detecting it when they’re willing to put it
up into a body cavity.”
Meth posed a particular problem, and drug use
inside sparked fights and other disruptions. This
created hassles and headaches for COs, as well
as a disorderly environment in the jail and added
charges for inmates caught with contraband.
DRUGS CAUSE DISORDER
BEHIND BARS
Vallier recounts one incident involving two
cousins who were incarcerated together. One
cousin smuggled in meth and shared it with the
12
other – but not all of it. When one cousin used
the rest of the drugs without sharing, the two
women started a screaming fight that soon had
everyone else in the unit involved.
That fracas required physical intervention by the
COs to separate and subdue individuals who
were kicking and struggling with them and with
each other, he added. The situation put everyone
on edge and at risk of injury and required a lot of
administrative documentation.
“It’s a lot of reports, a lot of wasted time,” said
Vallier, “and then it keys everybody up in the
block that hears the screaming and the yelling, so
it is just a hassle for everybody.”
It also means the offenders are isolated in the
booking area again for a few days and then
locked down with disciplinary measures. They
also face more criminal charges, as detectives
and prosecutors are brought in to start the
criminal process on a new charge.
“Our goal isn’t to find the drugs and have
people prosecuted,” said Vallier. “Our goal is
just to keep the drugs out of our facility.”
13
WHEN X-RAY MET SALLY PORT
To better address the smuggling issue, Delta
County applied for and received grant funding
to purchase a body scanner. They chose the
Smiths Detection B-SCAN, which was purchased
from Command Sourcing, a body scanner
distributor for Smiths Detection, and installed
earlier this year.
While they waited for training, the B-SCAN
was set up in the jail’s sally port for everyone
– especially inmates – to see. Vallier and his
staff made no formal announcements about the
B-SCAN, but they readily answered questions
about the machine when inmates who were
coming and going noticed it – including when the
jail planned to start using it for screening.
“We made it pretty known what it was and
when we were gonna start it,” he said.
They let the word of mouth spread among the
inmates – and their friends and relatives on the
outside – while they waited for training.
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
LEARNING TO READ THE SCANS
A certified trainer from Command Sourcing led
two days of training on site, including studying
images from other facilities. Then, after a sweep
of the entire facility, Vallier and his team scanned
every inmate to further familiarize themselves
with the machine and to establish a baseline for
each individual.
They created a database for every incarcerated
individual at the time so that if someone should
be released and return to the jail, COs can
compare the new scan to that clean scan to see if
anything is different.
“It gave us a lot of practice in being able to
detect what’s part of the body and what would
be contraband or something they’re trying to
conceal,” he said, “which is not an easy thing
to do.”
In fact, the first individual they scanned tested
their new skills in reading the X-ray images. Four
supervisors carefully examined a potentially
telltale shape on the scan image – but it turned
out the man hadn’t gone to the bathroom in three
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
days. The nurse gave him something to
help move his bowels, and about four hours
later the inmate informed the staff, who had
to verify that he was simply constipated, not
smuggling contraband.
“We unfortunately had to take a look at it to
make sure there weren’t drugs in there,” said
Vallier, “but then when we body scanned him,
it was clear. So, like I said, reading those body
images is a whole different set of skills we’re all
trying to develop.”
SEEING MORE IN JUST 5 MINUTES
The B-SCAN has been added seamlessly to the
jail’s existing screening process during intake
and work release return. It doesn’t replace strip
searches, says Vallier, but he estimates that it
adds no more than five minutes per individual
for a much more thorough screening. “It’s almost
nothing” as part of an intake process that involves
a 48- to 72-hour quarantine protocol for COVID
safety, detox and medical observation, he adds.
“We strip search them, put them in our clean
uniforms, put them through orientation, and then
14
the last thing is we bring them up to the body
scanner and scan them,” he said. “Same thing
with people that go out for a furlough or work
release. When they come back, they’re required
to go through the scanner before they’re allowed
back to their cell in the general population.”
NO DRUGS SMUGGLED IN SINCE THE
JAIL STARTED USING THE B-SCAN
So far, so good, Vallier adds – in the first two
months of operation, they have detected no
contraband drugs with any of the new inmates
coming in. He says COs working in the pod feel
more comfortable now that the scanner is part of
their screening process, because it reduces the
level of uncertainty.
“You’re always watching the people back there,
the new intakes. A lot of them don’t tell us the
15
truth, and they hide their medical history, so we’re
always worried about drug withdrawals or mental
health issues,” said Vallier, “so at least we took
one aspect away and we know they don’t have
any drugs on them.”
Overall, the absence of drugs saves time and
hassles for the jail staff and maintains relative
peace inside the facility. Vallier says the
inmates remain curious but seem to understand
that smuggling drugs into the Delta County
Correctional Facility is now a no-go.
“We tell them if they eat a cookie for lunch, we’ll
know whether it’s got raisins or chocolate chips
in it,” he said.
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
AUTOMATE
X-RAY SCREENING TO
SEE MORE, FASTER
Add iCMORE software to
Smiths Detection X-ray
machines to maintain
positive flow while catching
more contraband
By Philip J. Swift
The primary goal of any contraband interdiction
program is the accurate and rapid detection of
contraband concealed on or about a person or
package. The most effective way to interdict
contraband is to focus on individuals who move
in and out of secure areas or otherwise have
direct contact with inmates.
Often the most significant mass movement of
people in and out of the secure areas of a facility
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
occurs during visiting hours. Visits are extremely
important to inmates because they offer a break
in the routine and allow inmates to have face-
to-face interactions with their loved ones or with
service providers such as lawyers, chaplains,
drug rehab counselors, etc. Due to this fact,
inmates and their families take full advantage of
visiting hours, guaranteeing a large amount of
movement facility-wide.
Whether conducting personal or professional
visits, corrections officers are required to move
visitors in and out of the visiting area in an
organized and timely manner, stop intentional or
accidental contraband introduction and maintain
the safety of the visitors, inmates and staff. While
carrying out these tasks, every corrections officer
knows that a failure in these duties could result
in the introduction of dangerous contraband,
disruptive inmate behaviors, complaints and
allegations of constitutional abuses related to
restricted visiting.
16
CATCHING CONTRABAND IS AN
ONGOING CHALLENGE
While tasked with carrying out personal visits
and, at other times, official visits, I can tell you
that the repetition and monotony of the job
became bothersome for both the visitor and me.
Further, when crunched for time, it was easy
to take shortcuts in the screening process or
to “stop seeing” what was being displayed on
the X-ray machine because it looked almost the
same as the last 100 times you looked at it – not
to mention the looks and comments that were
hurled my way by visitors because I took the
time to look twice at an image or, God forbid,
I backed the belt up on the X-ray machine or
rescanned an object.
Everyone involved in the corrections field
understands that fatigue, stress and multitasking
reduces our ability to concentrate and complete
tasks efficiently and effectively, but how much do
these issues impact corrections officers’ ability to
recognize contraband items?
I have investigated and charged enough people
for introducing contraband to jail after it has
already made it through the screening process to
17
know that we are not as effective as we could be
at recognizing contraband early enough to stop
its introduction to a secure area.
MAINTAINING FOCUS IS CRITICAL
If we know that we are relatively bad at a
particular task or at least less efficient than the
task requires – in this case, 100% accuracy with
a track record of being less than 5% successful –
the question becomes what we can do to fix it?
Generally, the barriers to an effective screening
process include but are not limited to hardware
and software costs, staffing costs, training costs
and longer screening times.
The weakest link in the chain in most screening
processes is the ability of the operator to
recognize contraband. The quickest way to
reduce human error is automation, which has
been proved repeatedly on assembly lines
worldwide. For automation to be practical, it must
be cost-effective, increase accuracy and create
a positive flow. When positive flow is achieved,
the majority of people can move through the
screening area with little or no delay, while only
those carrying suspected contraband items are
flagged for closer scrutiny.
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
For example, facial recognition and license plate
readers have created a positive flow screening
process by automatically determining if a person
is wanted prior to an officer taking action. At
the same time, the vast majority of the public
is unaware of the screening process and goes
about their day unimpeded.
SEE MORE WITH SOFTWARE
FROM SMITHS DETECTION
To improve and automate the screening process,
Smiths Detection has designed object recognition
software called iCMORE that works in conjunction
with their existing X-ray equipment. The software
uses advanced algorithms to reduce the burden
on operators – as well as potential errors – by
automating the detection process for suspicious
items. iCMORE automatically identifies:
• Guns.
• Gun parts.
• Ammunition.
• Knives (minimum blade length of 6
centimeters, overall length of 15 cm).
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
• Lithium batteries.
• Flammable liquids and solids.
• Liquefied or compressed gases.
• Cash ($100 bills in single bundles).
• Other dangerous items.
This automatic recognition improves accuracy
by reducing human error caused by fatigue and
repetition. (It reduces the risk of eyestrain to
COs as well.) Automatic object recognition also
improves positive flow during the screening
process because operators don’t need to stop
the conveyor belt for closer inspection of a
suspicious item.
Adding iCMORE software to your screening
process can also reduce the liability associated
with the use and abuse of contraband by inmates
by reducing the number of unintentional or
intentional introduction cases. Implementation of
iCMORE requires little or no additional training
and is available in conjunction with various
Smiths Detection X-ray screening equipment.
18
YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER FOR CONTRABAND
DETECTION & IDENTIFICATION

www.smithsdetection.com
19 How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
HOW THIS TABLETOP
TOOL PROVIDES
PROACTIVE
DETECTION FOR
COVID-19 AND
OTHER PATHOGENS
The portable BioFlash Biological Identifier can detect and
identify the presence of low levels of aerosolized
COVID-19 in any part of your facility
By Philip J. Swift
When the COVID-19 pandemic began to
spread across the country, the primary means of
limiting transmission and preventing illness were
social distancing, wearing a mask, proper hand-
washing and immediate medical attention at the
onset of symptoms.
To most, following these directions was easy
and became part of their day-to-day routines,
but what if you could not socially distance? What
if you were routinely exposed to individuals
that were at a high risk of infection, there was
a limited ability to segregate the sick, and you
could not easily control the number of people
in a confined space?
As frightening as this scenario sounds, that was
the scenario facing administrators, staff and
detainees within the nation’s detention, jail and
prison systems. Although many facilities acted
quickly to reduce the number of incarcerated
people, hundreds of thousands of detainees
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
have tested positive for COVID-19, and since mid-
2021, the number of detainees has begun to rise
again, even though many of the COVID-related
problems that plagued detention facilities at the
beginning of the pandemic continue.
ADDRESSING THE CONTAGION
RISK BEHIND BARS
As with any airborne biological threat, the most
significant barrier to controlling its spread is
determining who is infected, who is capable of
spreading it and whether there is enough of the
biological threat present in the air to cause others
in the area to become infected.
Based on typical and often outdated structural
and ventilation designs of many facilities
and the transient nature of the population,
identifying infected individuals and maintaining
an environment free of biological threats
can be tedious at best, resulting in a risk of
contamination anytime multiple detainees or
staff members share a space.
20
Outside of personal protection strategies, such as
hand-washing and wearing personal protection
equipment, best practices for containing or
limiting the spread of airborne biological threats
require the routine sterilization of work and living
spaces, with particular attention to areas recently
occupied by an infectious person.
However, disinfecting an area efficiently
requires that:
1. Areas that are contaminated can be easily
identified.
2. Sterilization/decontamination processes are
efficient and remove pathogens and viruses
from all icontaminated surfaces.
3. Airborne biological threats can be removed
from the air, or the air lcan be tested to
determine the level of contamination.
Assuming contaminated areas can be identified
and those areas can be sterilized thoroughly,
most facilities are not equipped to filter the air in
a facility prior to allowing individuals to occupy
the space after cleaning.
21
On top of the inability to filter airborne biological
threats out of the environment, most facilities are
not equipped to test air quality in an efficient and
timely manner. This technological gap limits the
facility’s ability to proactively address airborne
biological threats prior to an outbreak, outside of
the strictest medical protocols, which detention
facilities cannot sustain.
TESTING FOR AIRBORNE THREATS
To address this gap and to help facilities
immediately address the potential of airborne
biological threats within enclosed environments,
Smiths Detection has developed the BioFlash
Biological Identifier, powered by CANARY
biological detection technology (a cell-based
biosensor) combined with aerosol-collection
techniques to provide rapid, sensitive and
specific identification of airborne biological
threats including viruses like SARS-CoV-2 (which
causes COVID-19), bacteria and toxins.
To identify the presence of live, airborne SARS-
CoV-2, the BioFlash Biological Identifier must
first collect a sufficient air sample from the area
in question. (This can take from 15 minutes to
three hours, depending on the size of the area.)
Once collection is complete, analysis takes just
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
two minutes to provide the results and potentially 1. Intake and other temporary holding areas.
alert the operator to the presence of even low
2. Dormitories.
levels of aerosolized virus – with an extremely
low false positive rate. 3. Cellblocks.

The unit is self-contained in a durable, compact 4. Infirmaries and wards.

tabletop-sized device that is easily transported 5. Transportation vehicles, including buses
wherever it is needed, enabling facilities to and vans.
respond rapidly to new or emerging airborne
biological threats. It is easy to use and 6. Day spaces.
decontaminate as well. 7. Enclosed recreation yards.
The BioFlash Biological Identifier is suitable for 8. Libraries.
the unique challenges that jails, detention and
9. Visiting areas.
correction facilities face – specifically the ability
to test for airborne biological threats in areas 10. Kitchens.
of varying size and population density. The
11. Mailrooms.
rapid results allow users to identify and isolate
contaminated areas to control potential spread. 12. Warehouses.

Potential use cases include continuous passive 13. Detainee work areas.
monitoring of an area for the virus, screening 14. Cafeterias and dining areas.
prior to entry to ensure that a space is safe or
determining whether a space is safe to reenter 15. Locker rooms.
after a positive COVID-19 case. Consider using 16. Administrative areas.
the BioFlash Biological Identifier to identify
airborne biological threats, including COVID-19, in 17. Meeting and briefing areas.
the following areas:

How to build a layered contraband detection strategy 22

REDUCE INFECTION RATES, COSTS
The primary advantages of using the BioFlash
Biological Identifier within a detention center is
that it can reduce infection rates, reduce detainee
medical costs, reduce staffing shortages due to
illness, reduce anxiety about infectious diseases
and protect the facility against emerging airborne
biological threats.
In addition, the BioFlash Biological Identifier
unit can help a facility efficiently manage costs
associated with disinfecting an area by identifying
areas where the biological threat is airborne
23
rather than assuming that all areas need the
deep cleaning that is associated with sterilizing
an area.
Finally, the BioFlash Biological Identifier can
provide administrators with the peace of
mind that comes from knowing that you have
implemented the most up-to-date technologies
in the field of biological threat identification and
that everyone with a facility is a safe. As Benjamin
Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure.”
How to build a layered contraband detection strategy
RESOURCES
Contraband on Corrections1 Body Scanners on Corrections1

Grant Assistance Smiths Detection on Corrections1

Smiths Detection Prison Security Screening How to build a layered contraband detection
strategy and why it matters (eBook)

How to build a layered contraband detection strategy 24