John Defalco, CEO of the startup company 4Sight Labs, demonstrated a bracelet monitoring device at the jail Thursday. The device monitors heart rate and motion and can thus detect if someone has attempted suicide or the changes in vitals signs if someone has consumed an illegal substance.
The contract provides 16 devices. The jail holds 400-450 detainees daily, all of whom are assessed for risk factors.
Chris Amason, Sheriff of Cleveland County, said jail deputies will put the bracelets on someone who is suicidal, under the influence of drugs or alcohol or feeling unwell.
"My number one priority for everyone is safety and security, and bringing these devices into the jail, we're taking proactive measures to save lives," Amason said.
The monitor communicates with an iPad that will turn red and send out an alert if a detainee's heart rate falls to a low level. Defalco said the device can alert numerous iPads kept at the booking desk, medical desk or even in the sheriff's office if necessary. It can be programmed to operate using both cellular and wifi.
Defalco said it's as if the jail has several sets of eyes on a person in crisis when seconds matter.
"With things like a suicide attempt, there is a window where if you get there fast enough, you can stop it in progress, even if they're hanging themselves and restore blood flow. It's a short window, but the idea is that this type of technology is predictive in nature," he said.
Although the monitors will be used in the jail, Amason said he is considering leasing more for deputies in the field.
The contract shows the cost is $36,000 per year, or $1,875 per device. The devices come with a one-year warranty which covers the length of the annual lease contract.
Because it is cost-prohibitive, he is looking for grants to fund the second round for deputies. The technology is new to law enforcement, Amason said, and it will take time for grants to catch up.
The company also stores data from the device that shows whether jail staff or an officer followed proper procedure, Defalco said.
The goal of the device is to learn the health risks of the person who comes into contact with law enforcement, in the field or in custody.
"You can't see inside someone's body," Defalco said. "If we can't do a better job with human eyes, and we can't, let's make a tool to fix this and that's what we focused on."
4Sight Labs formed in 2020 with Ian Osteyee, a former reconnaissance marine, David Sanders, a former United States Army Special Forces soldier, John Russell, a U.S. Army veteran and police officer, and Jim Lyman, a former U.S. Marine and FBI agent.
© 2022 The Norman Transcript (Norman, Okla.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
