Gwinnett County Jail is no longer supplying hot water machines to inmates.
In a statement, jail commander Col. Benjamin Hayes said the machine was removed after family and friends of inmates complained. There have been at least four instances where inmates were assaulted with scalding hot water and two more incidents involving staff members. The jail tried to lower the temperature of the water, but the move proved futile.
“We understand that these changes may cause inconvenience, but they are necessary to uphold the safety, security, and cleanliness of the facility. We were the only facility in the greater metro Atlanta area who provided detainees with hot water like this to make their coffee and other items purchased through commissary,” Hayes said. “These hot water units are an amenity we had provided for years, but, unfortunately, we had to take these drastic steps to prioritize safety and security.”
On the plus side, WSB2-TV reports, inmates still have hot water for personal hygiene matters.
The county was also in the news this fall after Gwinnett County Master Jailer Theresa Bell was arrested for simple battery on Sept. 27. It is unclear who Bell assaulted, but the act was done while she was on the job, according to the statement released by Gwinnett County Sheriff’s office.
Bell, “a five-year employee was found to have violated several Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office policies,” according to the office.
Sheriff Keybo Taylor reinforced the county’s commitment to making sure the county facility remained safe. She also expressed the commitment of the county to employ people who upheld standards and maintained respect for all within the facility.
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Source: Black Enterprise
