The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on a 4-1 vote today approved approximately $5 million in safety renovations and upgrades at the Maguire Correctional Facility – changes that include an eventual move toward all-video visitation of inmates and alignment with the systems to be used at the soon-to-open new county jail.
Sheriff Greg Munks agreed to foot about one-third of the $5,323,738 bill with the county covering $4,942,738 from its non-departmental ERAF reserves. The agreement with CML-RW Security, LLC, includes renovation of security electronics and detention doors, the replacement of detention doors, food passes and glazing in the administrative segregation pods at the jail in Redwood City. The contract also includes a video visitation system, a new head-end detention door pneumatic system and a new intercom and paging system.
The request required a four-fifths majority approval. Supervisor Dave Pine dissented, saying he preferred waiting until decisions are made about the future use of Maguire once the new jail opens. Others on the board, like Supervisor Adrienne Tissier, called the renovations and upgrades a “critical” need for a long time.
While the security electronics systems at the Maguire Correctional Facility were modern when installed, Munks told the board they are now outdated and prone to failures that create safety risks for inmates and staff and heighten repair and maintenance costs. As an example of the equipment’s age, Munks said parts for the jail’s perimeter doors are purchased on eBay.
In contrast, the Maple Street Correctional Center, scheduled to finish construction late this year, will be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment with enhanced facility and inmate monitoring through a separate contract previously approve by the Board with CML-RW.
Offering the same at Maguire eliminates the need for training on two systems the economies of scale also reduce both the time and costs of system maintenance.