The Dickson County Jail will soon have a full body “Intercept” scanner, if the device is approved on second vote. 

County Sheriff Tim Eads told the county commissioners that over the last nearly two years, “several” inmates have overdosed in jail. 

“Fortunately, they did not result in any deaths. In one pod, we had five overdoses at one time,” Eads said. "It's a constant daily challenge at the jail keeping drugs out." 

The sheriff said inmates put drugs in "places they should not be." Specifically, Eads said an inmate was transported straight from court with a large bag of heroin laced with fentanyl "up his backside.” 

The Intercept, which is made by California-based Tek84, can show an X-ray image of items hid inside the body cavity during a roughly 4-second scan. 

“Once (drugs are) detected, we can get a search warrant, take them to the emergency room and have the drug removed against their will,” Eads said. 

The county commissioners approved the nearly $180,000 machine on first vote. A second approving vote will be required this month. 

Funds from the American Rescue Plan are expected to be used. Eads said some of those federal funds had already been spent on 50 new Tasers and 39 in-car camera systems. 

Tek84 currently has a scanner at 19 counties in Tennessee, including two in Williamson County.