Two months after two prisoners escaped from the new Wayne County Correctional Facility, officials in Honesdale signed off on new security measures.
The county is now planning to build special security fences at the jail in hopes of preventing similar escapes in the future.
Wayne County engineer Stephen Knash pointed out a design flaw at the Wayne County Correctional Facility. It allowed two prisoners, Richard Edelman and Anthony Navarra, to escape last month from an unsecured door.
"The rec areas which was subject to the escape had doors installed in them to save the county money when they built the facility so we could remove snow," Knash explained.
To fix the problem Knash came up with a solution; special cage-like fencing and an additional gate around all three rec area doors. That means security can remain tight even when some gates have to open to plow snow.
"In the original design no one ever thought you would need it," said Commissioner Anthony Herzog.
Wayne County commissioners approved the fencing plan this week and bids are already being accepted.
Herzog added they hope to start building as soon as possible. "As soon as the ground thaws and we can get out there and work we expect that in the next month to two months we will be under construction," Herzog said.
The entire project is expected to cost the county around $60,000.
The county is now planning to build special security fences at the jail in hopes of preventing similar escapes in the future.
Wayne County engineer Stephen Knash pointed out a design flaw at the Wayne County Correctional Facility. It allowed two prisoners, Richard Edelman and Anthony Navarra, to escape last month from an unsecured door.
"The rec areas which was subject to the escape had doors installed in them to save the county money when they built the facility so we could remove snow," Knash explained.
To fix the problem Knash came up with a solution; special cage-like fencing and an additional gate around all three rec area doors. That means security can remain tight even when some gates have to open to plow snow.
"In the original design no one ever thought you would need it," said Commissioner Anthony Herzog.
Wayne County commissioners approved the fencing plan this week and bids are already being accepted.
Herzog added they hope to start building as soon as possible. "As soon as the ground thaws and we can get out there and work we expect that in the next month to two months we will be under construction," Herzog said.
The entire project is expected to cost the county around $60,000.
