'Old, faulty' locks on inmate cells are 'very easy' to pop at Forsyth County jail, creates danger for detention officers, county commissioner says

USING TO ESCAPE. TONIGHT ON 12 INVESTIGATES JAIL CELL LOCKS AT THE FORSYTH COUNTY DETENTION CENTER ARE EASY TO DISABLE AND THAT IS LEAVING COMMISSIONERS WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY. CHAIRMAN DON MARTIN VISITED THE JAIL LATE LAST MONTH AND TOLD US ABOUT THIS. IT WAS HIS FIRST TRIP THERE SINCE SHERIFF BOBBY KIMBROUGH TOOK OFFICE IN DECEMBER OF 2018. OUR DAVONTE MCKENITH JOINS US IN STUDIO THIS EVENING. DAVONTAE, WHAT IS THE SHERIFF SAYING ABOUT THIS? WELL, KENNY, WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE SHERIFF ABOUT THIS IN PERSON, BUT HE REFUSED AN INTERVIEW. WE WANTED TO VISIT THE JAIL WITH OUR CAMERAS ROLLING, BUT THAT WAS ALSO DENIED. ALTHOUGH WE CAN’T GET IN, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DID. AND NOW THEY’RE HEARING CONCERNS DIRECTLY FROM DETENTION OFFICERS. I THINK IT’S AN INMATE SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS IT CAN BE A YOU KNOW, A DETENTION OFFICER ISSUE. FORSYTH COUNTY CHAIRMAN DON MARTIN SAYS INMATES ARE IN DANGER AND SO ARE DETENTION OFFICERS. FAULTY AND OLD JAIL CELL LOCKS ARE PART OF THE REASON WHY IT’S VERY EASY WITH THAT OLD LOCK TO RE CLOG IT AND RE AND STOP IT SO THAT IT SHUTS. BUT THEN YOU CAN POP IT OPEN. THAT’S VERY EASY TO DO. MARTIN PAID A VISIT TO THE JAIL LAST MONTH AFTER COMMISSIONERS HAD A CHANCE TO SEE HOW THE LOCKING MECHANISMS WORK. HE LEARNED HOW INMATES ARE ABLE TO BYPASS THE LOCKS WITH SIMPLE OBJECTS LIKE A CAP FROM A SHAMPOO BOTTLE. YOU CAN TAKE THE TOP OF A SHAMPOO BOTTLE AND JUST PALM IT IN YOUR HAND AND JUST STICK IT RIGHT INTO THE SIDE, INTO INTO THE LOCKING MECHANISM. IT’LL SHUT IT BECAUSE IT PUSHES ON THE PLASTIC. BUT THEN IT’S VERY EASY JUST TO BUST IT OPEN OR POP IT OPEN. HE SAYS REPLACING THE LOCKS MAKES SENSE AND HE’S READY TO START GETTING BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT ASAP, ESPECIALLY AFTER A CAPTAIN TOLD HIM ABOUT A CLOSE CALL. LITERALLY WALKING DOWN IN FRONT OF CELLS AND. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE POPPED OPEN. BOOM. AND. AND THE INMATE SAID, OH, I DIDN’T SEE ANYBODY OUT. I JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, DIDN’T SEE IT. BUT I MEAN, IT’S IT HAPPENS AND AND THOSE CERTAINLY CAN CREATE SAFETY ISSUES. SAFETY ISSUES WERE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY 12 INVESTIGATES ASKED THE SHERIFF ABOUT THE JAIL LOCKS IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR HERE’S WHAT HE SAID THEN. OF COURSE, THERE WERE SOME TIMES WHERE PEOPLE POPPED OUT. THAT HAPPENS ALL OVER. THAT HAPPENS IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM. AND WHEN IT HAPPENS, GUESS WHAT? IT’S CORRECTED. HAVE YOU MADE AN EFFORT TO GET THOSE LOCKS REPLACED? COME ON. HOW LONG HAS THE COMMAND STAFF KNOWN ABOUT THOSE ISSUES? EVERY TIME THAT WE’VE KNOWN ABOUT THEM, THEY SEND MAINTENANCE OVER THERE AND REDO THE CELLS. NEARLY ONE YEAR LATER, MARTIN SAYS MORE MAINTENANCE IS STILL NEEDED JUST AS BADLY AS THEY NEED. DETENTION OFFICERS SAW THE EVIDENCE OF CLEARLY OF STAFF SHORTAGES DURING HIS VISIT. MARTIN WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT A DUTY ROSTER. HE SAYS ONLY THE BARE MINIMUM POSITIONS WERE STAFFED. INSTEAD OF FOUR OFFICERS IN THE CONTROL BOOTH OVERLOOKING FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE JAIL, THERE WAS ONLY ONE, MARTIN SAYS THE STAFFING SHORTAGE PAIRED WITH THE LOCK ISSUES ON THE INMATES CELLS IS A DANGEROUS COMBINATION FOR JAIL OFFICERS. THEY CAN GET OUT AND RESOLVE AN ISSUE, BUT NOT SOMETIMES BEFORE YOU KNOW SOMEBODY GETS HURT. SO THERE IS THERE’S RISK. CLEARLY THERE’S RISK. CHAIRMAN MARTIN SAYS HE PLANS TO ADDRESS THE REST OF THE COMMISSION ABOUT THE LOCKS. HOWEVER, AN ESTIMATED PRICE TAG HAS NOT YET BEEN ANNOUNCED. SHERIFF KIMBRO SAYS HE IS HOPEFU

Jail cell locks at the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center are reportedly easy to disable, and it's leaving county commissioners worried about safety.Forsyth County Commissioners Chairman Don Martin made a visit to the jail last month and told 12 Investigates about the lock concerns. It was his first visit since Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough took office in 2018.Top StoriesFather of teenager grazed by bullet during shooting outside of Triad high school football game speaks City of High Point adopts report that explores reparations for Black communities . Tyson announces layoffs at plant in WilkesboroGet the latest news stories of interest by clicking here"I think it's an inmate safety issue as well as a detention officer issue," Martin said.Martin says inmates and detention officers are in danger due to faulty and old jail cell locks. Martin learned of the dangers days after pay rates for detention officers were addressed during a county commissioners meeting."It's very easy with that old lock to re-clog it and re-stop it so it shuts, but then you can pop it open," Martin said. "That's very easy to do."Martin's visit to the jail came after commissioners had the chance to see how the locking mechanisms work before their meeting on Sept. 21. Martin says he learned how inmates are able to "bypass" the locks with simple objects like a cap from a shampoo bottle."You can take a top of the shampoo bottle and palm it in your hand and stick it right into the side of the locking mechanism," Martin said. "It'll shut because it pushes on the plastic, but then it's just very easy to bust it open or pop it open."Martin says replacing the locks makes sense, and he's ready to start getting bids for the project as soon as possible — especially after a captain told him about a close call during his September visit to the jail."Literally walking down in front of the cells and, all of a sudden, one popped open. Boom!" said Martin. "It happens, and those can certainly create safety issues." Safety issues were some of the reasons why 12 Investigates asked the sheriff about the jail cell locks in October 2022. "Of course, there were some times when people popped out," Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough said. "That happens all over. It happens in the federal systems. And when it happens, it is corrected."Kimbrough said they've addressed issues as they've come up."Every time we've known about them, they've sent maintenance over there and re-do the cells," Kimbrough said.Nearly a year later, Martin says more maintenance is still needed just as badly as they need detention officers."I saw the evidence, clearly, of staff shortages," Martin said.During his visit, Martin was able to look at a duty roster. He says only the bare minimum positions were staffed. Instead of four officers in the control booth overlooking four areas of the jail, there was only one. Martin says the staffing shortage, paired with lock issues on the inmate's cells, is a dangerous combination for detention officers."They can get out and resolve an issue, but not sometimes before somebody gets hurt," Martin said. "So, there's a risk."Chairman Martin says he plans to address the rest of the commission about the locks. However, a price tag has not been announced. Sheriff Kimbrough says he is hopeful collaboration will solve "ongoing issues."NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Trending Stories

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. —

Jail cell locks at the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center are reportedly easy to disable, and it's leaving county commissioners worried about safety.

Forsyth County Commissioners Chairman Don Martin made a visit to the jail last month and told 12 Investigates about the lock concerns. It was his first visit since Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough took office in 2018.

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"I think it's an inmate safety issue as well as a detention officer issue," Martin said.

Martin says inmates and detention officers are in danger due to faulty and old jail cell locks. Martin learned of the dangers days after pay rates for detention officers were addressed during a county commissioners meeting.

"It's very easy with that old lock to re-clog it and re-stop it so it shuts, but then you can pop it open," Martin said. "That's very easy to do."

Martin's visit to the jail came after commissioners had the chance to see how the locking mechanisms work before their meeting on Sept. 21. Martin says he learned how inmates are able to "bypass" the locks with simple objects like a cap from a shampoo bottle.

"You can take a top of the shampoo bottle and palm it in your hand and stick it right into the side of the locking mechanism," Martin said. "It'll shut because it pushes on the plastic, but then it's just very easy to bust it open or pop it open."

Martin says replacing the locks makes sense, and he's ready to start getting bids for the project as soon as possible — especially after a captain told him about a close call during his September visit to the jail.

"Literally walking down in front of the cells and, all of a sudden, one popped open. Boom!" said Martin. "It happens, and those can certainly create safety issues."

Safety issues were some of the reasons why 12 Investigates asked the sheriff about the jail cell locks in October 2022.

"Of course, there were some times when people popped out," Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough said. "That happens all over. It happens in the federal systems. And when it happens, it is corrected."

Kimbrough said they've addressed issues as they've come up.

"Every time we've known about them, they've sent maintenance over there and re-do the cells," Kimbrough said.

Nearly a year later, Martin says more maintenance is still needed just as badly as they need detention officers.

"I saw the evidence, clearly, of staff shortages," Martin said.

During his visit, Martin was able to look at a duty roster. He says only the bare minimum positions were staffed. Instead of four officers in the control booth overlooking four areas of the jail, there was only one. Martin says the staffing shortage, paired with lock issues on the inmate's cells, is a dangerous combination for detention officers.

"They can get out and resolve an issue, but not sometimes before somebody gets hurt," Martin said. "So, there's a risk."

Chairman Martin says he plans to address the rest of the commission about the locks. However, a price tag has not been announced. Sheriff Kimbrough says he is hopeful collaboration will solve "ongoing issues."

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'Old, faulty' locks on inmate cells are 'very easy' to pop at Forsyth County jail, creates danger for detention officers, county commissioner says

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