New director highlights improvements inside Louisville's jail

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Drugs, deaths and a dire staffing shortage. Those three problems were plaguing the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections as a new director stepped into the role in April.

Jerry Collins took office soon after the eighth inmate in a five-month span died inside the jail.

"It's very traumatic when an inmate dies, not only for the inmate's family but also for the officers that have to do CPR and things like that," Collins said.

Time and money are two things Collins needs to raise spirits and reshape the jail. He is short on both, so on Friday, WDRB News followed along as he showed Metro Council members what he's accomplished in his first weeks on the job.

"Just button up things that we can do for a low price really quick," Collins said. "One of the things we immediately did was one-point entry."

Collins said eliminating points of entry increases security and cuts down on inmate access to drugs. That's been a problem that popped up again just two weeks ago, when a contract worker was accused of smuggling in narcotics.

Technology is another way to track contraband. Members were shown an image that came from a new body scanner that went online last month, which detected drugs on an inmate.

Collins is hoping for two more of those scanners if Mayor Greg Fischer's budget is approved, along with more cameras to monitor inmates who may be a danger to themselves.

More important than the physical barriers is access to mental health care.

"Inmate wellness and staff wellness go hand-in-hand," Collins said. "So that's why I brought a forensic psychologist on my staff which will be evaluating not only inmate mental health, but also getting programs, peer support."

There are more than 100 staff vacancies at the jail. That's a problem that is going to take, at the least, several months to sort out.

That's why Collins is focused on simpler ways to help those already on staff, such as reworking schedules for a better work-life balance.

It was just three months ago when Metro Council voted "no confidence" in the prior director, Dwayne Clark.

Friday left a different impression. One council member was heard telling Collins "you're a breath of fresh air."

"I felt a big morale boost as I came in the door, which is really important in terms of thinking about staffing and who's serving those that are currently jailed," Councilmember Nicole George, D-21, said.

The budget for the jail is one of the biggest in the city. The proposal for next year is $58 million. Collins will make his case in front of Metro Council during his department budget meeting on Tuesday.

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