‘A request for accountability’: Fulton leaders pull millions in funding for sheriff’s jail wristband program

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Based on past meetings, when Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat walks into a board of commissioners meeting, drama can be expected.

“Sheriff, sheriff, sheriff, let’s try to get through this,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts as Labat addressed the board on Wednesday.

Labat said he’s made nine appearances since he was elected sheriff.

Last month, Labat escorted five Fulton County inmates into the board meeting as part of his presentation to relocate inmates to different facilities in South Georgia and Mississippi.

On Wednesday, Labat allowed Amelia Joiner, the sheriff’s office attorney, to speak for him for much of the discussion around the funding of a company called Talitrix, a provider of wristbands that screen an inmate’s vital signs.

In a surprise move, the board of commissioners voted to rescind $2.1 million in funding set aside earlier this year for Talitrix medical monitoring bracelets.

The $2.1 million was part of funding set aside by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners in April to assist with improving conditions at Fulton County Jail.

“It’s really a political witch-hunt. It was pretty obvious both in its presentation and certainly in its functionality,” Labat said after the vote.

Labat stood by the technology and his ongoing efforts to improve conditions inside the jail.

Labat said the jail population at the main jail has recently dropped from 3,600 to 3,030 people.

“I’ve since received texts from across the board about how do we support you, we want to know how we fix this,” Labat said about the ongoing relationship with the commissioners. “And ultimately, if any harm comes to anybody that we have now potentially a solve for, then that rests squarely with the (board of commissioners.)”

RELATED: New wristbands monitoring inmate heart rates at Fulton County Jail

The discussion item stemmed from an October 9 request from Commissioner Bob Ellis for specifics on the progress of the Talitrix program.

Ellis said he never got a response from the sheriff.

On Wednesday, Joiner said people in one unit of the jail were wearing the bracelets.

Commissioners had anticipated at least 500 inmates to be equipped with bracelets by July.

Joiner said that their contract only called for up to 500 inmates to be equipped with a bracelet, with another 500 bracelets in reserve.

“This is probably one of the worst contracts in my many years of public service that I’ve had anything to do with,” said Pitts.

RELATED: Protesters demand change, no new funding be allocated to Fulton Co. Jail

Joiner explained that the delays were because of the conditions inside the jail preventing Talitrix from establishing the needed infrastructure to support the bracelets.

“Today’s vote by the Fulton County Commission is both disappointing and legally questionable. District 2 Commissioner Bob Ellis would rather attack Sheriff Labat and a local company than solve the crisis at Rice Street,” a Talitrix spokesperson said in an email to Atlanta News First.

The Talitrix spokesperson added that the company is in full compliance with the contract with the sheriff’s office.

“We remain steadfast in our partnership with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and our commitment to saving lives and reforming the criminal justice system. Our legal team is examining all options,” the spokesperson said.

Last month, Labat proposed sending 800 to 1,000 inmates in Fulton County custody to two jails, one in south Georgia and the second in Mississippi.

Labat said it would cost the county between $30 to $40 million annually.

“This is not a political witch-hunt. This is a request for accountability,” said Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman.