Our Explosive Growth Over The Last 9 Years

The investigative power of CPC’s inmate communication system is second to none. Whether it’s developing information on jail illegal activities, assisting law enforcement officials in developing criminal cases, or helping the judicial system successfully prosecute crime, the service and product CPC provides is extremely user friendly and vital to our operations. The safety and security of the Vanderburgh County Jail is enhanced in so many ways due to the partnership we have with Combined Public Communications.

The Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office and CPC have had a long, successful partnership. One reason for that is CPC is always making their products better and improving with technology. We were one of the first jails to use “Chirping” and we couldn’t be happier with the product. Recently we were able to file a criminal case against gang members in the jail and the chirps were instrumental in helping us get convictions. There are several benefits to chirping but the most important to me is the intelligence that we are able to gather that helps us maintain a safe facility for our staff and the inmates.

I think where chirping has been very beneficial for us, it’s more of an insight into a way a inmate is thinking. We have caught inmates talking about suicide and were able to get them out of the pod and into a suicide prevention setting. We have also been able to get a address of where an offender is living that has a current warrant. It is a very useful tool.

We have had Chirping in our facility for about a year, we believe it has a great calming effect on inmates. It also provides family members a way to be able to leave an inmate a message rather than waiting for a phone call. It is also a great tool for discipline, since they love the chirps so much.

Since using the Chirps our Commissary has increased greatly allowing us to make more purchases without going through the whole process. Providing more for our officers and staff. We have also acquired confessions from using the chirps and have made criminal cases from the information we have received.

I wanted to thank you for introducing the chirping devices; our inmates enjoy them and certainly use them throughout the day and evening hours. Our telecommunication revenue has grown, and in this day, it is much needed. I was visiting the Perry County jail last week and ran into an inmate that was using the device; I asked him how he liked it and he said it was a fantastic way for him to communicate with his loved ones. This generation certainly utilizes text messaging so common sense tells us that this product will be a success.

Chirping, for us, has proved to be an excellent investigatory tool. We have been able to use this as a way to prove anonymous phone calls on inmates stating they are suicidal. We are also able to search key words in messages to see if inmates state they have Covid symptoms (and to prove that they are lying about symptoms to be moved to isolation areas). Chirping has also helped us in locating contraband and stop the introduction of contraband into the facility. In a few cases, we were able to find messages about drugs coming in and verify on video visits that it was set to come into our facility. Both times, the drugs were intercepted prior to making it in to the facility or exposing staff to illicit substances. Information such as this assists in charging/prosecuting those involved but most importantly preventing illegal substances from making it into our facility.

The chirping tool has been an incredible intel tool for our department. We have successfully used it to identify associates of inmates, information of ongoing activities and money trails. Inside the facility it has helped us alert to possible disturbances on the blocks including fights, weapons and suicidal behavior. It has become one of our most important tools.

Chirping devices have been most beneficial in dealing with offender’s mental health. We all know this year and part of last has been hectic for jails dealing with COVID restrictions. Our facility quarantines every offender that is booked into our jail. Each offender is isolated in a cell most of the day either alone or with 1 other offender. They do not get out to use the phones at their leisure. Having chirping devices allows our facility to hand out the chirp devices and allows offenders the opportunities to connect with family and loved ones. Which, in turn helps cope with some of the effects from being isolated due to COVID.

I love being able to type potential employees phone numbers into the search engine with CPC’s chirps. We have avoided hiring a handful of individuals who were currently chirping inmates at the time of their interview. In addition, every couple of months I will run all of our staff’s phone numbers through the search engine to ensure nobody is chirping inmates. Since having chirps at our facility, we have caught four officers chirping inmates, which resulted in their termination. Not all of our staff has been so bold as to chirp inmates however; I have also caught dirty officers by searching their last name in the Chirp search engine. Thanks!

When we first decided to implement chirping in our facility, I was hesitant. I soon changed my opinion as we were able to use the devices as means of discipline. People on Disciplinary Detention were not allowed chirping devices and this was a big deterrent to their poor behavior. Having chirps in their cells has made “lock down” and “lights out” a lot easier and quieter. The inmates are not as bored in their cells with nothing to do but cause trouble. We are also able to see every text message that goes in or out of our facility and that has given us and local detectives some valuable intel.

We have used the CHIRP messages numerous times for the following:
• Notifying the States Attorney office and working with them for additional information related to activecases, threats made against victims, etc.
• Work with other agencies for their open cases and investigations
• Used for disciplinary issues, place them on restriction for appropriate period of time.
These are just a few reason as to why these have been so helpful and well worth the time and effort to implement them.

Chirping has so many benefits to our facility. First and foremost, we cannot ignore the revenue that it brings into our facility. Secondly, it allows our inmates to communicate with their friends and family in the way that so many of them are used to on the outside, through texts. And thirdly, it is such a great investigative tool. Because you can search numbers and keywords the system has helped us tremendously. Our inmates are happier and our job of our staff is made easier as well.

Chirping has helped our county out with numerous criminal cases, ranging from invasion of privacy to introduction of contraband into the facility. As well as many other types of jail violations such as fights and contraband. We have found that offenders will chirp the free world things thinking that we as officers do not read the chirps. It truly is a wealth of knowledge.