A major security upgrade is now in place at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail, where a full-body X-ray scanner is being used to detect drugs, weapons, and other contraband that routine shakedowns might miss.
Sheriff Gerald Sticker says the $250,000 scanner, funded by opioid settlement grants, is part of a larger push to tighten security in his first year leading the department.
“We come in and we put the whole jail on lockdown, and we toss every cell, every dorm, top to bottom,” Sticker said. “But this scanner is another layer we needed.”
According to the sheriff, the device will screen everyone who enters the jail — not just inmates. That includes employees, contract workers, attorneys and bail bondsmen.
“Anyone who enters this jail … can be selected to be spot-checked and run through that X-ray machine,” he said.
Inmates are first strip-searched outside the jail but out of public view. They are then dressed in jumpsuits and escorted into the facility for scanning.
Sticker says the technology is sensitive enough to detect medical implants, like a hip replacement.
“You can see the hardware,” he said, describing a scan of an inmate at another jail he visited.
The sheriff says the new technology is a major step forward in reducing the flow of illicit items behind bars and is part of his broader mission to modernize the facility’s security systems.
New improvements and upgrades implemented first year in office
1. Staffing and training
• The jail was operating with 14-15 vacant corrections deputy positions when Sticker took office. He worked to fill these gaps to ensure safer staffing levels.
• Increased training focused on jail procedures, safety and discipline to address previous operational weaknesses and prepare deputies for emergency scenarios.
2. Leadership changes
• Following a previous jailbreak, the warden at the time was removed. The sheriff’s office is currently searching for a new permanent warden to lead day-to-day operations and uphold security standards.
3. Salary increases
• Jail staff salaries were increased by 30% in Sticker’s first year, bringing base pay to just over $17 an hour.
• Another pay raise is scheduled to take effect soon to continue addressing recruitment and retention challenges in corrections.
4. Building repairs and facility upgrades
• The jail roof was replaced after leaks soaked offices during rainstorms.
• The lift gates in the sally port – the secure vehicle entry area – were repaired after years of malfunctioning, restoring safe transfer procedures for inmates.
5. Security measures and technology
• A new full-body X-ray scanner was installed in the sally port to detect hidden contraband on inmates and staff; the $250,000 machine was funded through opioid settlement grants.
• A private strip search area was built inside the sally port, ensuring searches are out of public view while maintaining security protocols.
• RFID-scanning devices are being added to the entrances of each doorway. Deputies will scan in upon entering dorms, logging date and time stamps for accountability and tracking.
• All inmates will be issued ID tags or wrist bracelets linked to the system, allowing better monitoring.
• The scanning devices can also take photos for documentation, such as injuries during intake or for inmates on suicide watch.
6. Shakedowns and contraband control
• The sheriff increased routine and surprise shakedowns, with deputies searching cells and dorms top to bottom.
• New full-jail lockdown sweeps are conducted with support from outside agencies to control contraband flow and identify weaknesses.
• The new body scanner is expected to reduce smuggling attempts by detecting items internal searches can miss.
7. Technology modernization goals (in progress)
• Plans are underway to digitize all inmate accounts, logs and head counts, improving efficiency and oversight.
• The sheriff is also exploring additional security technologies to modernize jail operations and prevent escapes or smuggling.
8. Inmate processing and monitoring improvements
• Strengthened medical clearance protocols ensure each inmate is assessed by medical staff before entering the general population.
• Control room operations were improved so deputies monitoring security cameras and controlling door locks can track movements throughout the jail with better precision and communication.
READ MORE:‘Everything’s getting scanned’: Tangipahoa jail rolls out body X-ray technology
