Bertie Correctional Institution Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Yesterday was the equivalent of the "grand opening" of a new business.

State Department of Correction, Bertie County and City of Windsor officials worked very hard to get approval for the new prison just outside Windsor, and most were on hand to see what the new facility looked like now that it is complete and waiting for prisoners. The facility is an excellent prison, and the nearly one hundred million dollar price tag is just the starting point in steering money into our community. This is one of the most technologically advanced new prisons built, designed to increase safety for the community, the staff and the inmates. The annual payroll that will flow into our community is said to approach fifteen million dollars, and there are other expenditures of the prison that will also be spent locally. This makes the prison second only to the Bertie County Department of Schools in its dollar contribution to our county's economy.

The following pictures will take you on a tour of the facility this day, and try to give you an impression of the pride that the staff took in showing off their new institution.

It is called the "Bertie Correctional Institution" and was referred to all day by its nickname as "BCI".

First Sight Of BCI Through The Trees That Line The Entrance

As You Turn In To The Parking Lot The Huge Size Of BCI Becomes Clear

The Double Fence And Concertina Wire Makes An Imposing Sight

Entering The Guard Building At The Fence - Inside There Was A Visitors Book Like The Ones You See At Weddings

The Walk From The Guard Building To The Prison Building

Approaching The Door To The Prison Building

The Welcome Mat At The Door

Many Guards Greeted Visitors In Dress Uniforms

Registration Was Well Organized

As We Entered The Auditorium, New Guards And Staff Were On Hand To Meet The Public

As We Got Organized To Cover The Event, Sound Testing Was Going On To Get Ready For The Speakers And Band

The First Prisoner In The New Bertie Correctional Institution Also Arrived

I Got To Meet The First "Prisoner", Who Was "Released" In Conjunction With Cutting The Ribbon Later In The Day

"The Singing Morticians" From Aulander Entertained While The Audience Filed In

The Audience Was Said To Be The Largest For Any Prison Opening In North Carolina History

Local And State Dignitaries Jammed The Audience

As We Waited, A Banner Proclaimed The Motto Of Bertie Correctional Institution, "Changing Lives Through Quality And Integrity"

North Carolina Department Of Corrections Color Guard Starts The Ceremony

Speakers Filed In And Took Their Seats On The Podium

Invocation By Chaplain Rodney Williams

Anthony Hathaway, Administrator, Bertie Correctional Institution

Danny Safrit, Eastern Region Director, Department Of Corrections

Boyd Bennett, Director Of Prisons, State Of North Carolina

Keynote Speaker For This Day, Theodis Beck, Secretary Of Corrections, State Of North Carolina

Rick Harrell, Chairman, Bertie County Commissioners

Bob Spivey, Mayor Of Windsor

After the speeches, everyone filed outside for the formal Ribbon Cutting ceremony.

Waiting For The Scissors

The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony With All The Dignitaries, The "Prisoner" Was Released While This Was Happening

Anthony Hathaway Being Interviewed By Local TV Stations

After The Ceremony We Re-Entered The Prison For Lunch

We Ate In The Gym Rather Than The Prison Dining Hall

After Lunch, everyone was taken on a tour of the new prison.

Prisoners Arrive In Busses Which Enter This Garage, The Secure Doors Are Closed Before They Exit The Bus

Prisoners Are Next Taken To The Entrance Area Where They Are Strip Searched

Entrance Area Showers - Showers Are Required For New Arrivals

Inside The Medical Facility For The 1000 Prisoners That Will Be Housed Here

The Prison Kitchen

The Prisoner's Dining Hall

A Typical Cell Block Where Prisoners Are Kept

And for a final picture, this is the place which makes a prison.

This Is Where Prisoners Spend Most Of Their Time, The Very Cramped, Very Severe And Claustrophobic Cell

If you want to spend some time here, any local police or Sheriff's department can arrange a visit!