MONROE — Lafayette County Jail operations will be smoother, safer and perhaps even less invasive, thanks to a new body scanner purchased with grant funding announced this week by U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan.

The TEK 84 Intercept is a low-dose, shielded body scanner that detects metallic and nonmetallic items like weapons, drugs, cell phones, and other contraband. Experts say it is like the TSA scanners used at airports, and it is coming to the county jail in Darlington.

The scanner has screens that run from below the feet to above the head, revealing items under clothing and within the body. It also has a vertical scan and high resolution. The American-made scanner is already in use in Iowa County, officials said.

Lafayette County Reg Gill last week announced the county would be getting the high-tech device with over $155,000 in federal money; and he touted the grant in a news release from Pocan. 

Gill said the jail has not had a lot of problems with contraband, although in the past prisoners have tried to sneak in vapes, drugs and even cell phones. But, he added, it was time to modernize and boost security, and the idea for the scanner came in response to a request from Pocan for funding projects that could boost public safety.

“Everyone deserves to be safe, no matter who or where they are,” said Pocan, a Democrat, in a statement. “I was proud to fight for this vital public safety funding for Lafayette County and know that it will be put to good use.” 

In some cases, the scanner can be used instead of the more traditional strip search, Gill said. 

“It doesn’t eliminate the need for (a strip search),” said Gill. “Hopefully, it reduces the need for it … going in an out.”

The company says hundreds of local jails have turned to the body scanners in recent years thanks to the availability of federal funding, including from COVID-19 relief allocations.