Overview
- The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office suspended the text-messaging feature on IC Solutions tablets at the county jail Tuesday and said the halt is effective immediately.
- The agency said the review follows confirmed reports that some people in custody used messaging to inappropriately contact potential witnesses and that the feature will stay off until new controls protect victims without harming facility security.
- County Executive David Crowley ordered a pause at the Community Reintegration Center on Oct. 9 and the deputies’ union had urged suspension at both county facilities, increasing pressure on the sheriff’s office to act.
- Jail occupants will still have access to tablets for education, entertainment and legal research; the devices have no internet, cannot make voice or video calls, and messaging required verified recipients and limited daily access.
- Officials said messages are preserved even if a recipient deletes the app and that people who say they were contacted against their wishes can report the contact and request that communications be blocked, while the county balances victim safety with the tablets’ rehabilitative uses and staffing concerns raised by deputies.