Can Jail Staff Pass a Message to My Loved One? What Catoosa County Jail's Emergency‑Only Policy Means

Catoosa County Jail employees don't pass messages to inmates unless it's an emergency. Even then, staff will verify the situation before delivering anything (Evidence: 88856d278af1daac).

The jail doesn't publish a detailed list of what qualifies as an "emergency." Think urgent, serious events that genuinely can't wait for a regular call or message. A death in the immediate family, a serious medical crisis, or an urgent safety issue involving a child would typically fit. Routine updates won't qualify, even if they feel time-sensitive. Schedule changes, ride coordination, relationship news, court date questions, or "please call me" requests all need to go through regular phone or messaging options. Since staff must verify emergency messages before delivery, be ready to explain what happened and provide details they can confirm quickly.

Staff are required to verify all emergency messages before passing them along (Evidence: 88856d278af1daac). Expect the process to slow down while they confirm the information, even if you're stressed or in a hurry.

• ✓ Your full name and a callback number
• ✓ Your relationship to the inmate
• ✓ A clear, brief description of the emergency (who, what happened, and when)
• ✓ Names and phone numbers for a hospital, funeral home, school, or other party who can confirm the situation (if applicable)
• ✓ A photo ID available if staff asks you to confirm your identity

For non-emergency communication, use the tools the jail provides. Inmates at Catoosa County Jail have access to tablets for messaging loved ones (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8). Phone services, video visitation, and tablet access all run through Combined Public Communications (Evidence: 2766912a8a1318d9), so you'll work with that system rather than asking staff to hand-deliver a note.

1. Watch for the first text from your loved one. Tablet messages are sent as SMS text messages and delivered directly to your cell phone (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8).
2. Accept communication right away. The initial message asks you to accept communication, and you must reply “YES” to begin texting (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8).
3. Continue the conversation through that thread. Once you have opted in by replying “YES,” you can text back and forth using your phone, since messages are delivered via SMS (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8).

• ✓ Fund the tablet/messaging account through InmateSales.com (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8)
• ✓ Fund through the InmateSales app (Apple/Android) (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8)
• ✓ Use the kiosk located in the jail lobby (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8)
• ✓ Call the InmateSales call center at 702-829-3001 (Evidence: bbf14f1e5d3ca7f8)