Pubdate: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 Source: Times Tribune, The (KY) Copyright: 2003 - The Corbin Times-Tribune Contact: http://www.corbintimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2734 Author: Janie Taylor KNOX CO. JAILER REFUSES DRUG SEARCH Deputies And Police Officers, Armed With Court Order, Not Allowed To Sweep Jail For Illegal Drugs A surprise drug search at the Knox County Jail has once again put Judge-Executive Raymond Smith and Knox County Jailer Preston Smith at odds. Police officers say Preston Smith refused to let them carry out a court-ordered drug search at the jail Tuesday. Knox County Sheriff Public Relations Deputy Libby Carnes said Raymond Smith ordered the search after many allegations of in-jail drug possession had been received by both the sheriff's department and judge's office. "We had received many calls reporting drugs at the jail," Carnes said. "So Judge Smith ordered the search, and when the sheriff and deputies arrived, the deputy jailers refused to let them in." Carnes said Preston Smith wasn't at the jail Tuesday afternoon, but was called in and also refused to let the search go on. "He said he wouldn't let them in because they had weapons and a Corbin City Police canine unit," Carnes said. "We've never before been asked to take our weapons off at the jail. And we never give any advanced notification of a drug search." Carnes said the officers, along with Judge Raymond Smith, eventually made it in to the front of the jail before Jailer Smith arrived. "It stopped in the kitchen," Carnes said. "Preston said the judge could walk through, but the deputies and the drug dog could not." Carnes said Knox County Sheriff John Pickard, several Knox County deputies and Corbin Police Department Officer Brandon White, leading a canine unit, were all turned away at the jail. "He should have been more cooperative," Carnes said. "He should have given support to Judge Smith and the sheriff. We're all elected to serve the people of Knox County to the best of our ability." According to Carnes, county officials should be working together to ensure a drug-free jail. "The people of Knox County have a right to a drug-free community," Carnes said. "It's time for a change, and this administration intends on succeeding." Carnes said no charges had been filed at this time against jail employees connected with the incident. Raymond Smith said the attempted search was initiated after several inmates, serving over 90 days, were continuing to test positive for drugs. "We were concerned about the availability of drugs in the jail," Judge Smith said. "There are prisoners that have been incarcerated for quite a while and are still testing positive for drugs, and we're getting calls and complaints about this all the time." Judge Smith said he checked with Knox County Attorney Charlie Green Dixon before the search. "He said I could walk through to do a check," Smith said. "We felt it best not to notify anyone beforehand, and I asked for the search to be done. And Preston denied us entry to the jail." Judge Smith said Jailer Preston Smith said he would allow the judge only to walk through the jail, but without the drug dog. "He said he wouldn't allow the dog to go in," Judge Smith said. The deputy jailers had eventually allowed the officers in the first part of the building, he said. "We got as far as the kitchen, when Preston got there and refused, so we all left together," Judge Smith said. A fiscal court decision to switch inmate transportation to the sheriff's department from the jail came first Tuesday. "The court had previously ordered that the responsibility of prisoner transportation be turned over to the sheriff's department, and when they went to get the two vans, they wouldn't allow us to have them," Judge Smith said. "So I had to call a locksmith, just to be able to get them to the sheriff's department. They had refused to give them up, and they also refused to give them up to me." Judge Smith said the drug allegations were enough to warrant a search at the jail, and that the jailer should have welcomed the assistance. Smith said the officers were prevented from entering the jail office and the cells. "I don't know why we weren't allowed to do what we needed to do," Judge Smith said. "We have never been asked to take our guns off at the jail before. But this time, we even offered to remove the guns, and he still said no. "I'm concerned with the health and welfare of this county, and a good clean sweep of the jail would even have helped Preston." Judge Smith said the search was planned as a protective measure for the county. "The possibility of drugs, at the jail, would make this county liable," Smith said. "What if someone overdosed over there, with a drug policy in place." Judge Smith said the Knox jailer would eventually have to allow a search. "He will allow a proper search, or we'll do it with a circuit court order," Judge Smith said. "I regret that we were stopped, in our attempt to keep the jail drug-free." Knox Jailer Preston Smith said he was shocked at the attempt, and that he refused because the search was illegal. "I was totally shocked," Jailer Smith said. "They just barged in and threatened my people. They threatened them with weapons. We would have welcomed a search at any time, but I just want it done the right way. The only problem I had with it, was that it wasn=82t being handled the right way." Jailer Smith said he told Judge Raymond Smith that he could walk through the jail, without the canine unit. "We had no former notification of this, and weapons are against policy," Jailer Smith said. "I won't stand for drugs in any form or fashion, in this jail, and a search would be a big help to me. But I wouldn't allow it to be done illegally. I have nothing to hide. We have a clean slate." The Knox County Jail passed a March inspection by the Kentucky State Department of Corrections, with no violations. Preston Smith said, after the last state inspection, he was surprised at the interest in a search. "The magistrates are not interested in the jail, and have never been interested in checking things before," Jailer Smith said. "And I also have no problem with the transportation being turned over to the sheriff's department."