Corrections director not ready to give up on drug scanning machines

The Director of the Iowa Department of Corrections says he has confidence in a high-tech device used to scan prison visitors for drugs despite some recent false tests. “Kipp” Kautzky says they’ve done some retraining and recalibrating to ensure the machines, called “ION” scanners, are working properly.The devices are being used in Clarinda and Rockwell City. Kautzky says in Clarinda, there were 2,200 tests and only 10 contested tests. He says the vast majority of people are making visits with out any problems.Kautzky says the devices will eventually be used in all of the state’s prisons. He says they want to avoid having to strip search visitors.Correction Department administrators presented a report on the machines to the Iowa Board of Corrections Friday at their meeting in Clarinda.