Makers say wristbands could help save lives at Fulton County Jail. Commissioners say not so fast

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News learned Fulton County Commissioners are trying to kill the deal between the Fulton County Sheriff and Talitrix, a company hired to monitor the health of inmates.

Commissioners stopped payments to Talitrix saying the company failed to deliver, but the contract between the Sheriff’s Office and Talitrix might still be alive.

Channel 2 Investigative reporter Sophia Choi got an exclusive look at the technology.

“Radio frequency is what we use,” said Micah Gravley Vice President of Business Development for Talitrix during a tour of the technology in action at the Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

[HAVE A STORY FOR 2 INVESTIGATES? Submit your tip here]

The company uses wristbands to monitor the health of inmates.

Deputies get alerts on a dashboard when someone is in trouble.

“If it’s somebody that is having an event, the heart rate starts dropping, maybe low blood sugars happening, something to that extent. It’s going to alert because of the signals that we’ve set on there,” Gravley said.

Some 31 inmates at the Alpharetta Jail wear them, but only 16 wear them at the main Fulton County Jail on Rice Street instead of the 500 promised for $2.1 million in tax dollars.

“Basically, all they had to do was to sign their name to the contract. There was no work product,” said Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis.

Commissioners approved the money after 10 deaths at the jail so far this year.

RELATED STORIES:

• County commission takes back money for technology Fulton sheriff says is ‘proven’ to keep inmates safe
• New tech will help Fulton County sheriff keep track of inmates

But with so few wristbands in operation, they began questioning if they even worked.

“My conclusion is based upon everything that I have heard, it sounds like Fulton County has been funding their R&D,” said Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts.

Talitrix said they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on research that proves the system works.

“Saying this is unproven and untested, both are false statements. Both are malicious statements and unwarranted. Because we have tested this. We tested it in Fulton County,” Gravley said.

Talitrix said it is facing a delay because crews cannot get into the jail to install the equipment with inmates still sleeping on floors.

They need access to the walls for the wiring and other necessary equipment.

“Once those inmates are moved our folks are on standby waiting to get in, literally waiting to get it,” Gravley said.

Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said he tried to move the inmates to other facilities, but could not due to a lack of staff.

“Ultimately, it’s the perfect storm of not being able to move individuals. But at the same time look at what we did do. We put bands on 15, 16 individuals,” Labat said.

The Sheriff first entered into an agreement with Talitrix in September of 2021 for the Alpharetta Jail. He then went before the Board of Commissioners a year and a half later in April of 2023.

Labat asked for $2.1 million to enter into a deal with Talitrix for the Rice Street Jail without telling commissioners he already hired them.

“It was done in response to an emergency request,” Ellis said.

“When you use the word emergency and when you talk about the ten deaths at the jail, I mean that, you know, that attracts some attention,” Pitts said.

But in October, commissioners clawed back the money, canceling the purchase order for Talitrix.

The Sheriff already paid the company $733,000.

Commissioners are refusing to pay the remaining $1.4 million.

The sheriff said the contract is still valid.

“The Board of Commissioners does not legally have the foundation nor the legal authority to cancel any contract,” Labat said.

The sheriff said new technology from companies like Talitrix is essential to keep inmates safe.

And he will keep pushing to do that.

“We will not in any way, shape, or form or fashion be able to do what we’ve done in the past and not incorporate technology,” Labat said.

The Sheriff’s budget increased by more than $60 million since 2021.

But recently commissioners also passed a new ordinance taking away the inmate welfare fund from the Sheriff after Channel 2 Action News uncovered some misspending.

That is more than $6 million a year from commissions the county makes on commissary sales and phone calls by inmates.

Without that funding, county leaders do not believe the sheriff has the money to continue the contract with Talitrix.

RELATED NEWS:

County commission takes back money for technology Fulton sheriff says is ‘proven’ to keep inmates

©2023 Cox Media Group