Sierra Beefs Up Security at Pueblo County Jail

PUEBLO, Colo. — Sierra Detention Systems completed a $1.2 million overhaul of the control systems at Pueblo County Jail in an effort to prevent inmate escapes and improve crowded conditions.

Sheriff’s officials hired the Golden-based detention equipment contractor to perform an upgrade of the jail’s outdated security systems. The existing security system consists of aging controls combined with field devices that were not regularly maintained or updated, officials say.
Originally built to house 189 inmates, the facility instituted double bunking in 1993 to alleviate overcrowding and started several programs as alternatives to incarceration, including work release, home monitoring and day reporting.

Despite the relief measures, officials have seen an annual population increase of 10.6 percent within the last few years, creating unsafe working conditions for correctional officers and staff members, officials say.

In 2005, the jail had an average daily population of 589 inmates and reached an unprecedented high of 664 inmates — 39 more than the previous highest daily total. Two inmate escapes in November 2006, prompted an evaluation of the existing security system, controls and hardware.

Pueblo County sheriff’s officials worked with Sierra to create a plan that would allow the county to upgrade the controls system with minimal disruption to daily operations, system downtime and construction. The company completed the majority of the system layout and controls assembly prior to taking down the existing control units.

Officials wanted to lease new controls and hardware upgrades to reduce project costs, using $375,000 in commissary funds to supplement the $1.2 million controls system lease/purchase.

Using products from Middletown, Pa.-based manufacturer Phoenix Contact, Sierra built a retrofit system that combines the company’s controls with Phoenix relays to fit within the existing jail’s environment, requiring little construction.

“Phoenix Contact provides state-of-the-art control technology that generates increased efficiency in the fast-paced world of detention integration,” says Sierra project engineer Nathan Ingro.

Phoenix offers a line of time- and space-saving components, such as the PLC system cable, which is designed to consolidate multiple input-output points into a bundled cable that connects up to 32 relays to a PLC.

A specially developed relay block, which ties multiple relays together into a block of eight, enables technicians to design clean, streamlined panels and decreases wiring material costs and labor time.

In 2002, Sierra Detention Systems launched a line of security electronics, offering programmable-logic-controller-based control systems, intercom and access controls, duress alarms, CCTV and video visitation systems.

Sierra’s evolving B-2-B relationship with Phoenix has proved fundamental to the successful delivery of projects and services, and to the robust expansion of market presence.

Founded in 1995 as a detention equipment contractor, Sierra’s evolving B-2-B relationship with Phoenix has proved fundamental to the successful delivery of projects and services, and to the robust expansion of market presence.

“With straightforward designs and on-line documentation, Phoenix products have increased the efficiency of our electronics division and simplified the process of ordering, installing, and testing components,” says Mike Cameron, manager of Sierra’s electronics division.