Wlaf1450JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – Campbell County Commissioners were invited to tour the county Jail on Tuesday evening with Campbell County Sheriff Robbie Goins serving as their host. The sheriff also held a question and answer session with the five commissioners who toured the massive facility. “I wanted them to see it, smell it and see how it’s working,” said the sheriff.There were questions along the way like how many people are housed here? The answer is 365 today. Do you ever deny an inmate their medication? “No, we don’t deny anyone of their meds, because for some inmates, it’s a life or death situation when it comes to their prescriptions; especially when you’re talking about someone with Diabetes. We have a nurse on staff and a contractor that handles the meds,” Goins said.
Lt. Mallory Campbell (left) and Sheriff Robbie Goins (right) field questions on Tuesday evening.
“Addiction is a bad thing. Getting off drugs in this day and time is difficult,” Goins said. “What do you do to help inmates with their addictions?,” Campbell County Commissioner Lisa Lester asked. “Celebrate Recovery comes to the jail,” said Lt. Mallory Campbell. Goins added, “So many of the inmates want help and want to get away from drugs.”
Commissioner Rusty Orick, who was a 10 year chairman of the jail committee, visits the jail every few months. He calls it “a very clean, very well run jail. I’m proud of this facility. It’s usable. Workable.” “I’m very pleased the way things are going around the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department Jail, and the staff is doing a good job,” Commissioner Scottie Kitts said. Commissioner Scott Stanfield listened intently to the exchange of questions, of which Kitts asked perhaps the most, and answers.
Law enforcement from other counties have toured the Campbell County Jail. Orick adds, “Sheriffs from Sullivan, Monroe and Cocke Counties have inquired about the jail, some in person, because of the design of the facility.”
It was a busy night at the jail. There were some Bible groups ministering to some of the inmates. A GED Class was also being conducted.
When commissioners wanted to know how many people had been booked into the jail this year, jail administrator Stoney Love said, “More than 2,300.” Love went on to say that a minimum of 80 percent of the inmates are serving time for drug related charges ranging from buying and selling to stealing to support a habit and more. Next, he told commissioners 61 inmates had been baptized this year.
“I want to be as transparent as we can be. That’s on how we run it and for these commissioners to see our inmates and how our supervisors are doing,” the sheriff said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/28/2019-6AM)