OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF Sheriff John Ward Corrections Division 94235 MOORE STREET, SUITE 311 29808 Colvin Street (Physical) GOLD BEACH, OR 97444 (541) 247-3242 - (800) 543-8471 FAX: 541-247-6893 October 30th, 2025 Press Release Exciting Updates at the Curry County Jail New Mission and Values; In January 2025, the Curry County Jail announced and promoted a new mission statement and values. With this new mission and values, the Corrections Staff of the jail had a direction and sense of why. Below is that mission and values; Misson Statement The Curry County Jail is committed to serving our community by providing a safe, secure, and healthy jail environment where everyone is treated with dignity, empathy, and respect. Values • We believe people can change • We commit to professional integrity and fiscal responsibility • We value the dignity and respect of all people • We believe in the importance of teamwork • We value the perspective, creativity, and contributions of all • We encourage growth and learning • We recognize achievement and success Jail Bunk Replacements In April 2025, we began the abatement of lead-based paint on the old metal bunk beds. The 35 metal bunk beds had been in place since the 1970’s and lead based paint was a common coating at the time. Over the decades, the beds had been painted over several times, leaving a service susceptible to peeling and rust. The design of the metal bunks created ligature points that ultimately created risk and liability to the facility and did not meet our new mission statement. The Curry County Jail chose replacement bunks that are designed for modern facilities and reduce ligature points. With these bunks, we also installed ladders and rails to the top bunks to reduce the risk of falling from a bunk. These new bunks offer adults in custody more room than the old metal bunks, and ultimately a safer, cleaner sleeping space. While installing these bunks, we were able to design the space in a manner that opened the floor space for Adults in Custody, giving them more space in the housing units to move around. (See Pictures Attached) Technology Over the last few months, with the assistance of our Phone provider GTL, we have been adding more tablets into circulation for adults in custody to have access to. With these tablets, adults in custody can send messages, video visit and even call friends and family members. The tablets offer educational and job skills training, as well as recreational applications and games. These tablets offer resources that would otherwise be out of the reach of adults in custody due to the remoteness of Curry County. The Curry County Jail also implemented an electronic record keeping system. After the Ransomware Attack in 2023, we made it a priority to never be at risk of losing valuable safety and security data again. Now our staff carry electronic tracking devices. With these devices they log events that are required by Oregon Revised Statutes, Oregon Jail Standards and Federal Guidelines. All this data is stored off site through 3rd party vendors and backed up many times over. Americans with Disabilities (ADA) With the help of funding from City County Insurance Services (CIS), the Curry County Jail has been able to increase accessibility within the facility. Within all of our housing units we have anti-ligature ADA grab bars at the toilet and shower areas for those who are in need of this. While this sounds trivial, this was a huge step in making all areas more ADA friendly, in a facility that was built when ADA was just becoming a law. Health and Wellness The Curry County Jail, in our focus towards the new mission, set out to ensure that our facility was safe and healthy environment. With the rise in opioid overdoes in the State and County, we knew it was only a matter of time. We partnered with Save Lives Oregon and the HIV Alliance to provide Naloxone and training materials to the adults in custody. Using opioid settlement funds, we were able to purchase Naloxone storage boxes that are in our housing units, available at moments notice to adults in custody. (See pictures attached) The Curry County Jail also became the 1st jail in Oregon to purchase and install a Basic Life Detection Radar system (BLDR) in our facility. IntegrityQ is a company that aligns with our mission and values, and we are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to have this device in our facility. The BLDR is a stationary device that monitors an individual’s heart rate, respiration rates and movement. In coordination with the jail’s medical staff, we have set parameters in the system that alarm Corrections Staff of the potential to a medical issue within the cell. This system allows a “2nd set of eyes” for our vulnerable adults in custody. It is our desire and plan to continue to build this system out throughout our facility so that we have this set of eyes on everyone who is in our care. As funding becomes available, we will continue to add to it. (See pictures attached) Below is a statement from Joel Stubblefield the Vice President of IntegrityQ; IntegrityQ, a subsidiary of Integrity Communications Solutions (IntegrityCSInc.com). The parent company has been around for 16 years focusing solely on development, engineering and contracts with DOD on NASA projects. We have modified our Basic Life Detection Radar for the commercial market and have started penetrating into an immediate need, Confinement. Our radar sensor, smaller than a deck of cards, is a mounted, non-wearable unit that continuously monitors vitals—heart rate, respiration, and movement/location—with millisecond precision and safety at 60ghz. Version1, Monitoring 1 or 2 subjects, you will have the peace of mind to know that those in your care are being monitored 24/7 and Supplemental Eyes are assisting your staff. The user interface is fully customizable to fit your agency’s needs with visible and audible alerts when the system detects anomalies or pre-determined thresholds on vitals are breached. Future iterations will go beyond 1-2 simultaneous subjects / up too 200 total, restrictive housing, medical, and segregation cells, as this sensor will be deployed in dayrooms, rec yards, interview rooms, transport vans, patrol cars, perimeter security, and restricted areas for motion, live vital monitoring and life detection—protecting both those in custody and your staff. IntegrityQ Life Detection Radar can be sole sourced because it utilizes a proprietary technology at 60ghz that distinguishes it from any potential competitor, ensuring unmatched precision in detecting human vital signs through various materials, as well as detection of vitals if person is moving or still and finally, the ability to monitor more than one person. Additionally, IQ has specialized expertise, making it the only provider capable of delivering this specific system with its proven performance metrics. Finally, the radar's unique integration of advanced algorithms and compact design fulfills a critical niche, eliminating viable alternatives in the market for this level of capability. Having personally experienced preventable incidents in a public safety role, I know firsthand the critical need for this technology. Our mission is simple: prevent negative outcomes, reduce liabilities and enhance safety for our partners. Staffing Since October 2024, the Curry County Jail has been critically understaffed. At times during this period, the Jail had only 4 state certified corrections deputies available for our schedules. As a result of that critical staffing level, the Curry County Sheriff’s Command Staff made the decision to pull Patrol Deputy’s from their patrol functions to cover shift in the jail. As a team we worked through getting those patrol deputy’s dual certified, so that we were able to utilize them as certified staff members. State law requires that there be 1 certified corrections deputy on shift at any time. We are excited to announce that throughout the last year we have been able to recruit, hire and onboard new staff members. We are in a staffing place that allows us to release those patrol deputy’s back out to the streets of Curry County, to perform enforcement activities on November 1st. The Curry County Jail command team wants to thank our Patrol division for helping cover much needed shifts in the jail and subscribing to our mission and values. While we are not fully staffed yet, we understand the critical need to get these deputies back out there protecting our community. We are still actively recruiting for the last few openings that we have, and encourage anyone with an interest to join our team to check out our website at https://www.currycountyor.gov/government/county_sheriff/join_our_team!.php Lt. Jeremy Krohn Jail Commander Curry County Sheriff’s OfficePhotos from Curry County Justice's post