Detention Center Bureau

The Detention Center Bureau is responsible for managing the security of the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center where more than 400 inmates are housed. Under the command of Chief Deputy Doug Schuler (right), the Detention Center Bureau is responsible for access to the facility and the safety of all those – inmates, staff and visitors – inside.

Two Security Divisions, First Division which works during the daytime and Second Division which works overnight, comprise the Detention Center Bureau. Headed by Captain Shelbert Williams, First Division includes Team 1A, Team 1B and the Special Management Section and serves as the liaison to the medical contractor. Second Division, commanded by Captain Mavis Thomas, includes Team 2A and Team 2B and serves as the liaison to the mental health contractor. Each Security Division is overseen by a Lieutenant who also acts as the Watch Commander for the shift. Each Security Division is responsible for booking and visitation operations during their shifts.

Facility security is accomplished from inmates’ initial booking to their release. Detention Center deputies are responsible for the day-to-day supervision of inmates in the facility’s housing areas and for ensuring that inmates move safely and securely throughout the building. Deputies are placed directly into the larger housing units to effectively control living environment of those units. Direct supervision of inmates where they live allows deputies to better gauge the atmosphere in the units and more promptly deflect or respond to issues and concerns.

This Bureau is also responsible for controlling the entrance, exit and movement of everyone in the Detention Center.  Deputies schedule inmate social and professional visits and are responsible for checking to ensure that no one enters the building who does not meet stringent security guidelines. Deputies also check daily security equipment and locking devices as part of their daily inspections. Finally, the Detention Center Bureau is responsible for staffing the Visitor Center and ensuring the grounds of the Public Safety Center remain secure. 

The William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center

Completed in 1987 at a cost of $15 million, the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center houses all individuals committed by the courts to the Sheriff’s custody. The facility also houses a number of federal prisoners through contract with the U.S. Marshals Service Housing of federal prisoners in Alexandria facilitates the processing of defendants through the U.S. Federal Courthouse located nearby. The Detention Center housed an average of 419 inmates in 2013. Of those, roughly two-thirds were housed for state and local charges. 

The Detention Center operates under a style of management style and architectural design that facilitates increased staff and inmate contact and works to reduce tension and improve security within the correctional setting. Nearly three decades later, Alexandria's Detention Center has proven itself a model corrections facility that has earned national recognition for excellence in its staff and facility operations. The Detention Center strives to provide the highest quality in service and has been accredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA) since 1989 and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) since 1991. 

The Security Team Watch Commanders are responsible for directing the secure operations of the William G. Truesdale Detention Center during their assigned shifts. The Sheriff's Office's Watch Commanders share a common goal: to guide their teams in the performance of their daily tasks with excellence, professionalism and integrity.