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WBR Sheriff's office reviewing jail policies after 4 inmates hospitalized, potentially overdosed

54 minutes 22 seconds ago Tuesday, July 07 2026 Jul 7, 2026 July 07, 2026 11:06 PM July 07, 2026 in News
Source: WBRZ

PORT ALLEN - Two days ago a West Baton Rouge Parish inmate died after being found unresponsive in a cell, while the cause of death for that inmate is still pending autopsy, four West Baton Rouge Parish inmates are in the hospital after a medical incident, which deputies believe is narcotics-related.

The inmates had just been arrested and were being processed when the incident occurred, according to West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office Chief of Criminal Operations Major Kevin Devall.

Devall says the command staff met Tuesday evening to review and change policies that will ensure better quality control at the jail.

Detectives are doing interviews at the jail and hospital to determine how these inmates may have gotten hold of the drugs.

Back in September, WBRZ spoke with the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff about the several drug-related deaths at the jail last year.

"We're looking at all aspects of how the drugs are entering the jail," Bergeron said during the interview.

Bergeron explained they were working to determine how drugs continue to get into the jail.

"In the last month or so, we've done numerous facility shakedowns, which have resulted in about 9 inmate arrests on drug-related offenses, including the seizure of some contraband within a facility," Bergeron said.

Last year, the sheriff's office also announced security reforms at the jail, including scanning all offender mail and requiring random drug screenings for inmates, along with implementing a life check system that verifies hourly rounds have been conducted correctly and documented.

"Just upgrade the security cameras that we currently have, which were installed in 1997, and we are just upgrading the whole security system for the jail," Bergeron said.

After Tuesday's medical incident, officials with the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office say they will now be reviewing their current intake and processing policies.

All four inmates are expected to make a full recovery.

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