COLDWATER,MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Sheriff’s Office has officially implemented Smart Connections, a new digital inmate communication and mail screening system designed to eliminate dangerous contraband.
Under the newly launched system, all non-legal physical mail—including letters, photos, and postcards—must now be sent to a dedicated Smart Communications facility in Florida.
The mail is securely scanned there and delivered electronically to inmates via jail tablets, which Captain Todd Riley says significantly protects staff from unknowingly touching hidden drugs.
Certified legal mail, court documents, and bank statements will continue to be sent directly to the local facility to be opened on-site.
As part of this strict security overhaul, physical books are entirely banned from the jail, a countermeasure Riley says was deployed because individuals frequently disguised illegal narcotics inside packages designed to look like official Amazon shipments.
Families can track their sent letters by registering for a free account on the MailGuard Tracker Website.
While some inmates have complained about losing existing video game progress and music downloads during the platform migration, Riley asked for patience as the jail finalizes the technological transition.
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