The Toombs County Sheriff’s Office will soon be on the cutting edge of court appearances by inmates who are already in the penal system.

According to Toombs County Sheriff Alvie “Junior” Kight, who made a presentation on the Video Conferencing Equipment for Superior Court to the Toombs County Commissioners Tuesday night, the Georgia Department of Corrections has devised the system so that inmates who are facing additional charges in various counties will no longer have to be housed in the local jail and transported to a courtroom. The accused may appear via a television-type screen in a courtroom rather than be there physically.

The Sheriff said the video is the “next best thing to being there.”

The video conferencing Equipment would be portable and can be set up anywhere and Sheriff Kight said it should be something his office, the Judge and the District Attorneys will soon become comfortable in the operation.

If it works for the Department of Corrections inmates, Sheriff Kight said it may be something the county can adapt and use for local inmates who have court appearances and could be definite benefit when working with juveniles.

The initial cost to start up the video system slightly over $13,000, and a maintained fee after the first 16 months will be approximately $300 per month. The monthly cost will cover the operating system in the cloud and maintenance on the screen.

Commissioners did approve the request and the Sheriff will progress with the implementation.

Sheriff Kight also reported to the Commissioners that in the month of January, the Toombs County Detention Center cataloged and intake of 142 inmates, released 135 individuals and as of last Tuesday night, the inmate population was 120 inmates with 23 females and 96 males — all with primary residency or those arrested in Toombs County.