KNOX CO. JAILER REFUSES DRUG SEARCH

Deputies And Police Officers, Armed With Court Order, Not Allowed To Sweep
Jail For Illegal Drugs

A surprise drug search at the Knox County Jail has once again put
Judge-Executive Raymond Smith and Knox County Jailer Preston Smith at odds.

Police officers say Preston Smith refused to let them carry out a
court-ordered drug search at the jail Tuesday.

Knox County Sheriff Public Relations Deputy Libby Carnes said Raymond Smith
ordered the search after many allegations of in-jail drug possession had
been received by both the sheriff's department and judge's office.

"We had received many calls reporting drugs at the jail," Carnes said. "So
Judge Smith ordered the search, and when the sheriff and deputies arrived,
the deputy jailers refused to let them in."

Carnes said Preston Smith wasn't at the jail Tuesday afternoon, but was
called in and also refused to let the search go on.

"He said he wouldn't let them in because they had weapons and a Corbin City
Police canine unit," Carnes said. "We've never before been asked to take
our weapons off at the jail. And we never give any advanced notification of
a drug search."

Carnes said the officers, along with Judge Raymond Smith, eventually made
it in to the front of the jail before Jailer Smith arrived.

"It stopped in the kitchen," Carnes said. "Preston said the judge could
walk through, but the deputies and the drug dog could not."

Carnes said Knox County Sheriff John Pickard, several Knox County deputies
and Corbin Police Department Officer Brandon White, leading a canine unit,
were all turned away at the jail.

"He should have been more cooperative," Carnes said. "He should have given
support to Judge Smith and the sheriff. We're all elected to serve the
people of Knox County to the best of our ability."

According to Carnes, county officials should be working together to ensure
a drug-free jail.

"The people of Knox County have a right to a drug-free community," Carnes
said. "It's time for a change, and this administration intends on succeeding."

Carnes said no charges had been filed at this time against jail employees
connected with the incident.

Raymond Smith said the attempted search was initiated after several
inmates, serving over 90 days, were continuing to test positive for drugs.

"We were concerned about the availability of drugs in the jail," Judge
Smith said. "There are prisoners that have been incarcerated for quite a
while and are still testing positive for drugs, and we're getting calls and
complaints about this all the time."

Judge Smith said he checked with Knox County Attorney Charlie Green Dixon
before the search.

"He said I could walk through to do a check," Smith said. "We felt it best
not to notify anyone beforehand, and I asked for the search to be done. And
Preston denied us entry to the jail."

Judge Smith said Jailer Preston Smith said he would allow the judge only to
walk through the jail, but without the drug dog.

"He said he wouldn't allow the dog to go in," Judge Smith said.

The deputy jailers had eventually allowed the officers in the first part of
the building, he said.

"We got as far as the kitchen, when Preston got there and refused, so we
all left together," Judge Smith said.

A fiscal court decision to switch inmate transportation to the sheriff's
department from the jail came first Tuesday.

"The court had previously ordered that the responsibility of prisoner
transportation be turned over to the sheriff's department, and when they
went to get the two vans, they wouldn't allow us to have them," Judge Smith
said. "So I had to call a locksmith, just to be able to get them to the
sheriff's department. They had refused to give them up, and they also
refused to give them up to me."

Judge Smith said the drug allegations were enough to warrant a search at
the jail, and that the jailer should have welcomed the assistance. Smith
said the officers were prevented from entering the jail office and the cells.

"I don't know why we weren't allowed to do what we needed to do," Judge
Smith said. "We have never been asked to take our guns off at the jail
before. But this time, we even offered to remove the guns, and he still
said no.

"I'm concerned with the health and welfare of this county, and a good clean
sweep of the jail would even have helped Preston." Judge Smith said the
search was planned as a protective measure for the county.

"The possibility of drugs, at the jail, would make this county liable,"
Smith said. "What if someone overdosed over there, with a drug policy in
place."

Judge Smith said the Knox jailer would eventually have to allow a search.

"He will allow a proper search, or we'll do it with a circuit court order,"
Judge Smith said. "I regret that we were stopped, in our attempt to keep
the jail drug-free."

Knox Jailer Preston Smith said he was shocked at the attempt, and that he
refused because the search was illegal.

"I was totally shocked," Jailer Smith said. "They just barged in and
threatened my people. They threatened them with weapons. We would have
welcomed a search at any time, but I just want it done the right way. The
only problem I had with it, was that it wasn=82t being handled the right
way." Jailer Smith said he told Judge Raymond Smith that he could walk
through the jail, without the canine unit.

"We had no former notification of this, and weapons are against policy,"
Jailer Smith said. "I won't stand for drugs in any form or fashion, in this
jail, and a search would be a big help to me. But I wouldn't allow it to be
done illegally. I have nothing to hide. We have a clean slate."

The Knox County Jail passed a March inspection by the Kentucky State
Department of Corrections, with no violations.

Preston Smith said, after the last state inspection, he was surprised at
the interest in a search.

"The magistrates are not interested in the jail, and have never been
interested in checking things before," Jailer Smith said. "And I also have
no problem with the transportation being turned over to the sheriff's
department."