Narcan Training Saves Lives at the County Jail
June 22, 2018
Bridgeton, NJ- Cumberland County Jail Warden Richard Smith said that since March of 2017, 26 lives have been saved at the County Jail as a result of quick action by Narcan trained medical and corrections staff.
Warden Smith said, “I am so proud of our Corrections Staff here at the jail. They have truly embraced the proactive initiatives that we have implemented at our facility to improve the operation of our county jail. The Narcan training conducted by our medical staff provider made it possible for our officers to take quick and assertive action to save 26 lives. We have implemented a number of training initiatives that include Narcan, Mental Health, CPR, Blood Borne Pathogens, Hazard Communication and Fire Extinguisher Training. Cultural Diversity Training, Anti Sexual Harassment Training and Wellness Training have also been conducted with the staff and will continue in the future for both new employees and as a refresher course for existing staff”.
The Corrections Department Suicide Policy has been revised and is now more comprehensive. Staff has all been given pocket handbooks regarding “Suicide Prevention” and posters are also displayed throughout the jail in both English and Spanish on Suicide Prevention Awareness.
Cumberland County Freeholder Director and Public Safety Liaison Joe Derella said “Training is not the only area that the Warden has placed focus. The Freeholder Board approved and has purchased a body scanner that will be a huge assistance with all new admittances to the facility. This will greatly reduce contraband coming into the jail.
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Training is taking place on the new technology this week. The Warden has also started a K-9 Program. Through established relationships, the Warden was able to facilitate the donation of two drug dogs and 14 weeks of training at no cost to the County. The K-9 Officers routinely conduct searches throughout the jail. A five person search team has also been added and they conduct searches both in and outside the jail perimeter. We are very pleased with the steps that Warden Smith has taken at our Jail and support his effort to provide the staff with the tools they need to be effective in their job on a daily basis.”
In addition to the initiatives listed above, Cumberland County will be breaking ground on a new correctional facility in the fall of 2018. This new state of the art facility will significantly enhance all of the efforts currently put into place to keep both our Corrections Officers and inmates safe.
Warden Smith has also confirmed that the Department of Corrections has been informed that the United States Department of Justice will review practices and procedures related to inmate suicide prevention at the facility. Warden Smith said “We welcome the opportunity to address and resolve any concerns that the Department of Justice may have concerning suicide prevention at the County Jail. We previously addressed several issues related to additional medical services, officer training, surveillance equipment and early response procedures. We are eagerly awaiting the construction of our new jail that is scheduled to open in 2020. We look forward to working cooperatively with the Department of Justice as we strive to improve and ensure positive outcomes for our inmates as well as our staff.”
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