With COVID-19 Hampering Court-Mandated Alcohol Monitoring, Two South Dakota Counties Turn to Automated Kiosks to Conduct Twice Daily Testing

Minneapolis, Minn. — (October 6, 2020) Minneapolis-based Precision Kiosk Technologies today announced that Codington and Minnehaha counties in South Dakota will become the first counties in the State to coordinate and conduct court-mandated alcohol monitoring using the autonomous AB Kiosk^® system. Risks of COVID-19 transmission have hampered alcohol monitoring by many South Dakota’s sheriff’s offices and corrections facilities that had been relying on hand-held devices to conduct portable breathalyzer tests (PBTs). The AB Kiosk solves this problem and by automating the entire alcohol monitoring process, including twice-daily test coordination, breathalyzer administration, record keeping, and immediate staff notifications of failed tests.

Codington and Minnehaha Counties participate in South Dakota’s 24/7 Sobriety Program, which requires that each participating client to refrain from the use of alcohol as a condition of their pre-trial release, probation, parole, or diversion program. To carry out this directive, sheriff’s offices have traditionally screened their clients twice a day using handheld breathalyzers – a process that elevates the risk of COVID transmission between clients and staff. The AB Kiosk system automates the entire process, frees up staff for higher-value work, lowers administrative costs, and reduces transmission of the virus by eliminating face-to-face interaction between clients and staff.

On October 2 the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office installed three AB Kiosks in the lobby of its jail, and will soon begin screening more than 100 people twice a day. Similarly, the Codington County Sheriff’s Office has installed one AB Kiosk in its Detention Center, and will initially screen 40 to 50 people twice a day. To learn more about the AB Kiosk system and view a video of the alcohol-monitoring process, please visit www.abkiosk.com/video.

“The AB Kiosk system greatly increases the safety and efficiency of 24/7 alcohol monitoring programs and enables counties to maintain a strong alcohol-screening process throughout the COVID pandemic and beyond,” says Patrick McKinney, general manager of Precision Kiosk Technologies. “In addition, the system reduces the administrative burden of alcohol monitoring and makes it easier for clients to meet the conditions of their release with less disruption to their work and family life.”

The AB Kiosk system leverages two highly integrated and secure components – an interactive stand-alone kiosk and an easy-to-use client-management software program. The Kiosk uses biometric fingerprint authentication to verify the identity of the individual, captures still images and video as it administers each breathalyzer screening, and automatically uploads the client data. The Kiosk can test up to 30 individuals per hour without any direct supervision by jurisdiction staff. The client-management software simplifies new-client onboarding, and enables regular and random test scheduling. Supervisors can access the client-management program from any computer, smartphone or tablet, and use it to quickly generate test reports on any segment of their client population. Nationwide, the AB Kiosk system has achieved a 99.9% testing compliance rate across six states and 28 jurisdictions.

Matt Blackwelder
Chief Corrections Officer
Codington County Detention Center
605-882-6284
mblackwelder@codington.org

Lt. Kurt Schaunaman
Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office
605-978-7048
Kschaunaman@minnehahacounty.org