Etowah County Detention Center

Physical Address
827 Forrest AveGadsden, AL, 35901

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Guides for This Facility

At a Glance

Visitation

  • The detention center lists office hours and a street address for visitor and contact purposes.
  • A 24‑hour non‑emergency phone number for the sheriff’s office is provided for inquiries.
  • The online roster site publishes a 48‑hour release list showing people released in the last 48 hours.

Communication

  • The facility provides a phone number and an email address for booking and inmate information.
  • The sheriff's office page on the site lists a 24-hour non-emergency phone number.
  • If a Project Lifesaver client wanders away, the public is instructed to call 911 and inform dispatchers the person has an armband.

Mail & Letters

  • Non-legal incoming and outgoing mail is opened and inspected for contraband and security issues.
  • Many facilities in Alabama use third-party vendors or scanning systems that may convert letters to electronic form for delivery.
  • Always include the inmate’s full legal name and any required booking or ID number on every envelope.

Sending Money

  • Cash found with an inmate at booking can be deposited into a kiosk account for commissary purchases at Etowah County Detention Center.
  • You can add money to an inmate’s account using online/app, phone, retail cash-pay locations, a facility lobby kiosk, or by mailing a money order (methods vary by facility).
  • Third-party vendors process deposits and typically deduct service fees; processing speed and fees vary by channel.

Inmate Lookup

  • The Etowah County public roster page displays a total inmate count (example shown: 637).
  • The roster site provides a 48‑hour release list showing persons released in the last 48 hours.
  • The facility provides a phone number and an email address for inquiries about inmates or booking.

Contact Info

  • The sheriff’s office maintains a 24‑hour non‑emergency phone line for the facility.
  • The detention center’s office hours and street address are published for visitor and contact purposes.
  • Program Section supervisor is Sgt. Carrie McClung and a telephone contact is provided.

Facility Info

  • Medical staffing at the detention center is available 24 hours a day and includes licensed and clinical personnel.
  • The facility provides medical, dental and mental-health care plus preventive screening for TB, HIV, and syphilis.
  • Etowah County Detention Center holds accreditation from the National Commission for Correctional Healthcare and core accreditation through the American Correctional Association.

Based on official sources and community feedback. Learn how we verify

Topic Overviews

Visitation

Start by checking the county's website for the detention center's office hours and street address. There's also a 24-hour non-emergency phone number for the sheriff's office if you need to confirm current requirements. Looking for someone who was recently released? The county roster site includes a 48-hour release list. The county also runs Project Lifesaver, with monthly home visits to check armbands, replace batteries, and verify devices are working. Exact visiting hours and rules aren't listed publicly, so call ahead before you go. In Alabama, it's common for jails to require visitor registration (sometimes online), advance scheduling for video visits, and on-site sign-in with ID verification.

Communication

Need information about someone in custody at Etowah County Detention Center? Start with the booking phone number or booking email address listed on the facility's site. For broader questions, there's also a 24-hour non-emergency phone number for the sheriff's office. The Compliance Section is led by Captain Bradley Saylor, and an email contact is available for compliance-related questions. One important note: if a Project Lifesaver client wanders away, call 911 and tell dispatchers the person has an armband. For staying in touch with someone housed at the jail, communication typically happens through outgoing inmate calls and vendor-run video or messaging services. You'll often need the inmate's booking ID and a funded vendor account for paid options.

Mail & Letters

Sending mail to someone at Etowah County Detention Center is straightforward, but small mistakes can cause delays. Non-legal incoming and outgoing mail is typically opened and inspected for contraband. Many Alabama facilities also use third-party vendors or scanning systems that convert letters to electronic delivery while originals are handled under facility policy. To help your letter arrive without issues: use the inmate's full legal name, include any required booking number or ID on every envelope, and add your complete return address. Books and publications are often restricted to shipments from approved retailers or publishers—paperbacks only in many cases. Photos and other enclosures may be limited too. Mail missing key details can be returned or destroyed, so double-check everything before sending.

Sending Money

Cash found with an inmate at booking can be deposited into a kiosk account for commissary purchases. Adding money from outside? Deposits are typically handled through third-party vendors and may be available online, by phone, at retail cash-pay locations, through a lobby kiosk at the facility, or by mailing a money order. Fees are common, and posting times vary by method and provider—compare options before you send money. Whatever channel you use, enter the inmate's exact name and ID and complete any required deposit form so the funds apply to the correct account. Payment types (card, cash, or money order/cashier's check) depend on the method you choose.

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Common Questions

Showing 6 of 21
Q

Does Etowah County Detention Center have a 24‑hour non‑emergency phone number?

Yes. The sheriff’s office non-emergency phone line is listed as a 24-hour contact for the detention center.

Visitation
Q

Where can I find the detention center's address and office hours?

The detention center publishes its street address and office hours on its public contact listings.

Visitation
Q

How can I check recent releases from Etowah County Detention Center?

Use the roster site’s 48-hour release list, which shows people released in the past 48 hours.

Visitation
Q

How do I get information about an inmate at Etowah County Detention Center?

Use the booking phone number or the booking email address listed on the facility site to request inmate information.

Communication
Q

Is there a 24-hour non-emergency number for the sheriff's office?

Yes. The site lists a 24-hour non-emergency phone number for the sheriff’s office for general inquiries.

Communication
Q

What should I do if a Project Lifesaver client wanders away?

Call 911 and tell dispatchers the person is a Project Lifesaver client and has an armband, as instructed on the site.

Communication

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Did You Know?

Here's the basic contact information for Etowah County Detention Center in Alabama. The sheriff's office has a 24-hour non-emergency phone line.

This guide is based on feedback from 131 families and official facility documentation. Learn how we verify