PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Procedural and leadership changes are happening at the Hampton Roads Regional Jail.
The Assistant Superintendent Eugene Taylor has retired, he was part of the old regime.
They’re also changing how inmates get their medicine and how they handle medical emergency requests.
The deaths of JaMycheal Mitchell and Henry Stewart inside the jail sparked outrage and caused the Virginia Attorney General to request a federal investigation.
Friday News 3 went inside the facility to get a tour.
It’s all part of Interim Superintendent and Norfolk Sheriff Bob McCabe’s effort to make the jail more transparent.
The jail has to deal with a lot more sick and mentally ill patients.
“All of the five member jurisdictions are sending all their mental health patients here. It's exasperated here and so it's a big challenge,” said McCabe.
Jail officials said they have between 30 and 40 medical staff for about 1,100 inmates compared to the Norfolk Jail which has about 1,200 inmates and 10 members of the medical staff.
McCabe said inside the Hampton Roads Regional Jail about 70 to 80% of the population needs some type of medical treatment.
They are changing the way inmates will asking for medical help – doing away with using a kiosk system and now having staff members directly respond.
McCabe also said the jail was wasting $100,000 with the way medication was being distributed.
“We're changing the way we’re delivering medications,” said McCabe, “If they see the person they open it (the medicine) up and they give it to them. They watch him take it and so forth instead of preparing the meds.”
McCabe said he is trying to change the image of the jail.
Right now they are also looking to fill the superintendent position as soon as possible.
McCabe is in charge of the Norfolk Jail as well and is currently in charge of both facilities.
He hopes to have the assistant superintendent position filled by next week.
