Las Vegas police announce new tech to help fight crime inside Clark County Detention Center

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - New technology is being implemented to help the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department identify potentially dangerous phone calls involving inmates.

According to a news release from LVMPD, a $45,000 grant from the Office of Criminal Justice Assistance Nevada Department of Public Safety purchased the technology which automatically transcribes all calls, and can translate them to English if necessary, and allows investigators to go to the portion of the call that is concerning.

In 2021, inmates made nearly 1.5 million calls to family, friends, and others outside of the jail, the release said. The calls are monitored by officers but “the process is tedious, costly, and time-consuming,” police said.

LVMPD says the Word Alert technology is estimated to cut the time officers spend researching these calls by 30 to 50% by identifying language that may indicate illegal activity, escape plans or an inmate who may be in danger.

The grant runs through 2023. The Detention Services Division is hopeful additional funding will ensure the program’s future, the release notes.