A national correctional facility was experiencing problems with cell phone use by inmates. Although a secure facility, cell phones continued to be discovered by guards through routine checks and accidental fortune. Cell phone conversations were out-of-band and could not be monitored by prison system communications. There was an urgent need to discover all devices.
Challenge
This correctional facility required a technology that would continuously monitor the facility and detect all mobile devices, cellular and Wi-Fi. Once a device was detected, alerts of the find and information about the exact location of the device needed to be sent to the corrections officers so that an action could be taken and the device apprehended. Also, it was important for guards to carry approved mobile devices but any alerts of those devices should be disregarded.
Solution
AirPatrol visited the correctional facility with ZD-3030 Sensors for a demonstration and immediately detected and located three previously unknown devices. The facility soon installed sensors in protective and hidden cases and was quickly able to identify cellular use. With AirPatrol, correction officers were given a starting point for correct handling of inmates on an even playing field. At this facility, continuous monitoring identified a corrupt shift of officers where cellular use exploded in contrast to other managing shifts. The issue of recognizing and allowing the approved guard devices was solved through AirPatrol’s ZoneDefense system because known devices show on the management console as blue while unknown and forbidden devices appear as red. The AirPatrol solution continues to be successfully used today.
