Adam Linhardt, the Public Information Officer for Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s been going on in the county.
The Sheriff’s Office has an app for smart phones that provides updates on travel in the Keys.
Linhardt said, “Whenever there’s a crash or anything like that, we put out push notifications. I’ll get that information from our 911 call center and then I can put that information out on the phone. At least while you’re sitting in traffic, you know what’s going on to a certain degree. I know that’s not the best set of circumstances, but I guess it’s better than none. So at least maybe you get your phone and you’re getting ready to walk out the door and you see there’s a crash, you can at least tell yourself well maybe I’ll give it a few minutes. If it’s a major crash, I like to put that out to let people know it’s going to be quite some time, but knock on wood those are few and far between.”
You’ll need to turn on notifications for the app.
Linhardt said, “The sheriff has given me pretty clear instructions. We don’t want your phone to blow up so we don’t put out a ton of push notifications. When we do, it’s usually important. It’s usually because there’s something happening on the road or there’s a hurricane issue. We mitigate how often we use it.”
There’s also a lot more information on the app about the Sheriff’s Office.
The link to the app can be found here: https://www.keysso.net/
Another initiative in the detention facilities is tablets being used by inmates.
Linhardt said, “This is something I know the sheriff’s proud of, all our command staff are proud of this. These are basically electronic tablets, essentially that gives the inmates their legal library, normal library books, games, news feeds, you name it within reason. Texting, photos, things of that nature.”
Inmates can receive photos and texts from their families, but they can’t send anything. There are security mitigation with the initiative.
Linhardt said, “Our bureau of corrections folks had found that these were successful elsewhere in the country. I think there was a little bit of hesitation, if you introduce these will folks inside the facilities be fighting over them? Will they create a distraction? So far we have found just the opposite. They’re just a really great resource. We haven’t gotten any complaints and it seems like the folks in the jail and their loved ones who are communicating with them appreciate it as well. Hopefully that will stay.”
The Sheriff’s Office would like to get to a point where there’s one tablet for every inmate.
Trauma Star was in action recently after a 22-year-old man was bitten by a shark. He had to be air-lifted to the hospital.
Linhardt said, “This was handled primarily by the Coast Guard. This was Friday on or near Davis Reef off Islamorada about 11:30 in the morning.”
The man was spearfishing when he was supposedly bitten by a shark.
Linhardt said, “Apparently the victim was able to give some kind of a description to the Coast Guard. It certainly sounds like it probably was, but it also sounds like our folks at Trauma Star, they were able to get him up and out very quickly. Apparently he was conscious the whole time and he’s going to be okay.”