An inside look at the Albany County Jail

Cells are turned upside down as the Albany County Sheriff's Office searches for anything illegal inside the facility. They brought in extra manpower Monday for a shakedown.

When it's over and the inmates are locked back in their cells, the sheriff's office is left with a cart full of contraband.

Acting Sheriff Craig Apple said, "We've been slowly finding contraband. Last week we had a female come in with a hypodermic needle. It is problematic not just for inmates but for officers as well. We want to keep them safe."

The sheriff's office searches the tiers frequently, but Monday's shakedown entails them searching the jail from the top to the bottom. They are looking for marijuana, matches and everything illegal in between.

They bring in extra staff, like K9s for these special searches.

Monday morning, while the dogs searched the cells so did the CERT team. They searched every book, every box and every bed.

In the end, they turned up a rope being braided from sheets and screws put into the sides of shoes.

On a piece of plastic, those screws can become a weapon.

But these are small finds compared to what used to turn up.

Apple says, "We were finding cigarettes, lighters, all kinds of contraband. A toothbrush scraped up against the concrete, you can sharpen into a nice shank."

Apple says that this is happening less and less thanks to what is going on outside the jail. They have an increased presence out in the parking lot with deputies stationed a few times a year to check visitors.

Apple said the road checks net a number of arrests and serve as a deterrent. "A lot of contraband is being stopped out on street before gets in here, that is the goal," he said.

But Back inside Monday there were no serious finds. No weapons, no drugs. For the sheriff's office, finding nothing is a good thing.