GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Mesa County Commissioners approved a $35,844 purchase request from the Mesa County Sheriff's Office for new health monitoring devices for inmates.
The device, similar to a smart watch, measures heart rate, oxygen level and blood pressure.
"We do have a lot of individuals who come into the facility who are detoxing either off alcohol and or drugs," said Mesa County Sheriff's Division Chief Henry Stoffel. "And at that point while they're detoxing, their risk for a medical event is very high."
The device will alert MasterControl through Bluetooth routers placed around the facility if a vital sign drops below a designed level.
The county is working out a trial phase with 10 units. Working out any bugs before rolling out the program more.
Mesa County plans to implement and activate the device before the end of the year.