City of Hobbs Detention Center Improves Gear Storage with Smart Lockers
The City of Hobbs Detention Center transformed an empty hall near the employee entrance into secure storage for staff gear and weapons. The new smart locker system gives employees controlled access to their equipment while providing supervisors with remote access and an electronic audit trail of locker activity.
Download Case StudyBuilt for a detention center setting where secure access and traceable locker activity were required.
Completed for a detention center in southeastern New Mexico.
The project supported employee gear and weapon storage just inside the staff entrance.
The locker system provided controlled access, supervisor remote access, and electronic tracking of locker activity.
The smart locker system provided gear compartments, handgun-only lockers, two-factor access, charging, lighting, and electronic audit tracking.
The detention center needed staff gear and weapons stored in a controlled area with visibility into who opened each locker and when.
No Dedicated Space for Shift Gear
The City of Hobbs Detention Center needed secure staff storage inside an empty hall near the employee entrance. Staff needed a defined place for gear bags, vests, handguns, belts, and related items before starting shifts, while supervisors needed visibility into locker access activity.
No Assigned Staff Storage
The detention center had no dedicated place for employees to store gear bags, vests, handguns, and related items during shifts. Staff needed a secure location near their normal entry path before they started work.
Locker Access Needed Tracking
The facility needed to know who accessed each locker and when. Without an electronic access record, the storage area would not meet the detention center’s accountability requirement for gear and weapon storage.
Gear and Weapons Needed Separation
The storage layout needed to handle bulky gear and handguns without placing everything in one open compartment. A separated shelf was required so a weapon would be less likely to fall out when someone removed a vest, belt, or gear bag.
Smart Lockers Provide Controlled, Trackable Access
Southwest Solutions Group installed smart lockers in the empty hall near the employee entrance for detention center gear and handgun storage. The installation included 12 large gear lockers, 4 small handgun-only lockers, two-factor access by employee badge and PIN, remote access for supervisors, charging ports, interior lighting, and electronic audit reporting. Larger lockers paired a main gear area with a separate weapon shelf above it, creating a controlled storage point for shift use.
Smart Lockers for Gear and Handguns
The installed system included 12 large lockers for gear storage and 4 small lockers for handguns only. Access used two-factor authentication through an employee badge and PIN.
Secure Storage Built Around Staff Access
The large lockers were sized for a gear bag or clothing on one level, with a separate shelf above for weapons storage. This configuration kept bulkier items and weapons separated inside the locker while supporting the detention center’s secure storage workflow.
Trackable Storage at the Staff Entrance
The system gave employees an easy-to-use place to store gear and weapons before a shift. Supervisors also gained remote app access for lockout situations and an electronic audit trail showing who opened which locker and when.
Installing Controlled Storage in an Empty Hall
The project used an empty hall just inside the employee entrance, placing secure storage where staff could reach it before beginning a shift. Southwest Solutions Group coordinated the smart locker installation, access controls, charging ports, and interior lighting to create a secure storage area for daily staff use.
Confirmed Staff Storage Requirements
The project began with the detention center’s need for secure staff gear and weapon storage with traceable locker access. The selected hall near the employee entrance gave the facility a practical location for daily shift use.
Planned Locker Placement and Access Features
The layout accounted for large gear lockers, smaller handgun-only lockers, two-factor authentication, supervisor remote access, charging ports, and interior lighting. These requirements were tied to secure use, staff convenience, and electronic access history.
Prepared the Smart Locker Package
The smart locker package was developed around the detention center’s operational requirements, including access tracking, separated weapon storage, and supervisor remote access. The project drawing helped confirm the locker layout and access requirements before installation.
Coordinated Smart Locker Components
Southwest Solutions Group coordinated the smart locker components for delivery and installation, including large gear lockers, handgun-only lockers, electronic access controls, charging features, and interior lighting.
Installed and Configured the Smart Lockers
The smart lockers were installed and configured for staff use with two-factor access, secure gear storage, and separate handgun compartments. The system gave employees a controlled place to store equipment during their shifts.
Completed Access and Audit Features
Southwest Solutions Group completed the locker setup so the detention center had secure, trackable gear storage with supervisor remote access and electronic audit trail visibility.
Smart Lockers Improve Secure Staff Gear Storage
The smart locker system created a dedicated place for gear bags, handguns, vests, belts, and other shift equipment. Employees gained convenient secure storage, while supervisors gained electronic visibility into locker access.
Dedicated Gear Storage Near the Staff Entrance
The empty hall near the employee entrance became a secure storage area for staff gear and weapons. This gave the detention center a defined place to store items during shifts.
Storage Access Near the Start of Shift
Employees can store and access gear close to the entrance they use before beginning work. That placement supports the daily staff entry routine without moving gear storage to a less convenient area.
Separated Storage for Gear and Handguns
The system organized storage across 12 large gear lockers and 4 small handgun-only lockers. The larger lockers also included a separate shelf for weapons above the main gear area.
Electronic Access History for Ongoing Control
The electronic audit trail records who opened each locker and when. Remote access also gives supervisors a way to respond to lockout situations without being physically present at the locker.
Absolutely, the salespeople are the big plus here! Responsive sales rep, responsive service crews - they got us what we needed and handled everything!
Smart Locker Installation Before and After
Before and after photos show the empty hall and the completed smart locker installation for secure staff gear and handgun storage.
Need Secure Smart Lockers for Staff Gear?
Southwest Solutions Group designs smart locker systems for public safety facilities that need secure staff gear storage, controlled access, and electronic activity tracking.
If your facility needs better control over staff gear and locker access, our team can evaluate the space and recommend a practical smart locker system.
One team from planning through project completion.
