Promise of main safety upgrades at jail

Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree homicide within the deadly stabbing of his former girlfriend in 2021 and despatched to Chester County Jail. On August 31 this yr, simply days after receiving a compulsory life sentence with out the potential for parole, the 34-year-old escaped by crab-walking up the partitions of a slender exterior hallway within the train yard.

The enhancements embody the fixing of a easy metallic display screen to cease future would-be escapees getting access to the jail roof.

“We’re planning on doing quite a few security enhancements, most of which come from expertise, personnel motion, together with drones, detection strategies,” Howard Holland, the performing warden of the Pennsylvania jail, advised CNN.

“We’re going to take this facility and make it state-of-the-art,” Holland mentioned.

County Commissioner Josh Maxwell did not say how a lot the enhancements would value, however mentioned he expects the upgraded safety measures to be a report funding within the jail.

“Hopefully 10 years from now of us will look again and really feel secure, that nobody’s gotten out of this jail,” Maxwell mentioned.

Cavalcante wasn’t the primary to try this on the Pennsylvania facility.

Igor Vidra Bolte, 30, additionally escaped the jail utilizing the identical crab-walk methodology in Could. Bolte was caught inside 5 minutes of his breakout.

“We take accountability for what occurred right here. We take it critically. All people was put in hurt’s method,” mentioned Holland.

Throughout Cavalcante’s two-week run, he broke into a number of houses and stole a automobile and a rifle earlier than being captured by legislation enforcement officers. His jail break set complete communities on edge.

Authorities mentioned Monday’s assembly was held to supply help, info on counselling and to supply a proper alternative for locals to talk face-to-face to officers.

Some Chester County residents voiced their expectations to CNN affiliate WPVI earlier than the assembly.

“(I am) hoping to listen to the plan of adjustments happening domestically and statewide to make sure one thing of this nature isn’t going to occur once more,” mentioned Brooke Sarkar of Malvern.

Cameras had been prohibited through the assembly whereas officers confirmed a presentation that includes a number of of the safety parts they’ve already applied.

Razor wire was put in across the prime of the train yard’s hallway after Bolte’s breakout, however Cavalcante nonetheless managed get previous it.

Officers mentioned Monday they’ve since added a metallic display screen to forestall that from occurring once more – together with military-grade mesh in different areas that Cavalcante slipped by means of throughout his escape.

Authorities are additionally exploring using Ok-9s and the becoming of ankle displays on high-risk inmates, they mentioned.

Holland mentioned the majority of the remaining safety upgrades can be put in inside six months to a yr.

“They’re heading in the right direction in getting this drawback mounted so we cannot need to take care of it ever once more,” mentioned Kevin Breen, a county resident.