SPRINGVILLE- The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) announced today that prison officials are conducting a joint operation with multiple law enforcement agencies in an effort to find and remove illegal contraband from the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville.  The operation, which began Thursday morning, is targeting all forms of contraband, ranging from drugs and illegal cell phones to makeshift weapons. 

For several weeks, ADOC’s Investigations and Intelligence Division has planned the operation with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, St. Clair and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Offices, and the Pell City and Odenville Police Departments. More than 300 law enforcement officials are assisting the ADOC in a comprehensive search of contraband inside the facility’s housing, training and work areas to include the prison grounds.     

ADOC is leveraging all available resources by partnering with other agencies to confront the contraband problem that directly impacts the level of violence and criminal activity inside state prisons. 

“Illegal contraband brought into our facilities poses a significant threat to the safety and wellbeing of our correctional staff and it compromises public safety as a whole,” said Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn. “This joint operation demonstrates our department’s commitment to protecting those who serve on the frontlines in our correctional institutions, and it sends a powerful message to those who choose to break the law by introducing, accepting and/or using illegal contraband in our state prisons.”

The ADOC is planning to conduct similar operations at other major correctional facilities in the future, utilizing intelligence gathered inside and outside the prison system and ongoing collaboration with all levels of law enforcement.

Dunn said the partnership ADOC has with fellow agencies is important to the department’s overall mission. 

“I want to thank those peace officers who assisted our department with this operation and for all the work they do daily to protect the public and keep our communities safe.  The Alabama Department of Corrections is taking a positive step forward to improve safety and security of our correctional facilities through the support provided by our state, county and local law enforcement,” Dunn added.    

The public should contact the ADOC Investigations and Intelligence Division at 1-866-293-7799 with information that may lead to the arrest of anyone attempting to introduce illegal contraband into state prisons. The public may also report suspicious activity by going to the ADOC Website at  http://www.doc.alabama.gov/investigationrequest.