Sheriff's Office

For Immediate Release

Changes coming to telephone services for inmates at the Washoe County Detention Facility

In an effort to improve communication with family and friends, changes are coming to the inmate telephone system within the Washoe County Detention Facility.  The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is announcing this change after they contracted with Smart Communications to provide telephone services for inmates at the jail.

This change is effective July 5, 2022, and will bring a reduction in cost and will introduce new calling account options.  Some of these options are:

• Prepaid Collect (PPC) – allows family and friends to pay for collect calls they receive from an inmate in advance. The PPC account holder decides which phone numbers are allowed and how much they want to spend on receiving collect calls.
• Voicemail Exchange (VMXTM) – PPC calling account funds can also be used to leave voicemails for an inmate.
• PIN Debit – Family and friends can deposit funds directly into PIN Debit accounts. These account funds are owned by the inmate and can be used to pay for calls they place to any facility-approved phone number.

With these changes the Sheriff’s Office hopes to improve inmate communications with their family and friends and thus ensuring the safety and well-being of inmates.

In addition to the added features and reduced costs, each inmate will receive one 15-minute free phone call each week.  After that, telephone calls are only $0.08 cents per minute.

To enroll in the new Smart Communications system, friends and family can create an account by logging onto www.SmartInmate.com or by calling Smart Communications Customer Care at 1-888-843-1972 to create an account and deposit funds.

Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam is dedicated to improving the lives of the citizens within our community, including the citizens in custody at the Washoe County Detention Facility.  The intention of this change is to facilitate communication while bringing cost saving measures to users of the communication systems at the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Detention Facility.

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to preserving a safe and secure community with professionalism, respect, integrity and the highest commitment to equality. Sheriff Darin Balaam is the 27th person elected to serve as the Sheriff of Washoe County since the Office was created in 1861. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office strives to ensure public safety by building trust and creating partnerships within the diverse communities in which we serve. We will promote the dignity of all people supported by our words and actions through open communication while fostering an environment of professionalism, integrity and mutual respect.

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