Monroe County, situated as the southernmost county in both Florida and the United States, encompasses the Florida Keys and parts of the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. While these parks largely consist of uninhabited mainland regions, the Florida Keys are a string of islands linked by U.S. Highway 1, which ends at Key West, located 150 miles southwest of Miami.
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office oversees law enforcement services in the area and manages three detention facilities located in Key West, Marathon, and Plantation Key. The primary facility in Key West can accommodate up to 597 beds, supplemented by a 57-bed location in Marathon and a 46-bed site in Plantation Key.
Key Management System
Given the critical nature of these detention facilities, it is vital to maintain stringent key control and accountability. Enhancements to existing access protocols through an automated key management system have become essential.
A highly structured environment is crucial for sustaining security, safety, and order
A highly structured environment is crucial for sustaining security, safety, and order within the populace of these facilities. Rigorous procedures, including head counts, inmate movements, visitor logs, and cell inspections, are in place, with key control being a particularly stringent policy.
Staff members are restricted from discussing key control, except with authorized personnel, emphasizing the importance of maintaining robust key control systems to prevent and quickly identify any missing keys.
Highly Structured Environment
The KeyWatcher® Key Control System by Morse Watchmans provides a solution by only allowing assigned keys to be released to users equipped with the correct authorization code.
This system supports compliance with established policies by replacing outdated lock boxes, unreliable manual logs, and messy key tags with a compact, wall-mounted key storage cabinet. It logs each key's access history, noting user information, checkout, and return times, ensuring accountability. Constructed of durable stainless steel, the illuminated storage system is designed to withstand tampering and abuse, further enhancing security.
Access Control Option
The system manages key access and tracks key usage, including times and user information
The KeyWatcher system, complete with a fingerprint access control option, was chosen by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office for deployment at all three detention facilities. The system manages key access and tracks key usage, including times and user information.
Staff are granted varying access levels to promote effective key control and prevent any lapses in oversight. Together with the KeyPro® Performance Software, which provides real-time polling transactions, reports, and alarm notifications, the system supports robust key management. Its programmable features enable customized reporting of key movements using time, date, user code, or biometric data.
Since implementing the Morse Watchmans KeyWatcher Key Control System along with the KeyPro software, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office has improved adherence to key control policies and reporting protocols. The integration of biometric fingerprint access and "time release" functionalities has significantly enhanced operational efficiency, underscoring the system's benefits to facility management.
Try our KeyWatcher Configurator tool to design your ideal system to meet your requirements (Note: if using a mobile device, please turn the phone to landscape mode.)
