Phone Service Fully Restored At County Jail In Banning

BANNING, CA — Phone service was fully restored Tuesday afternoon at Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning after an outage that began Dec. 14, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

While jail operations resumed normalcy very quickly after the outage was first reported, phone services for inmates remained out of order, the sheriff's department explained.

"The outage, caused by a widespread power failure impacting both the facility and the surrounding area of Banning, disrupted phone lines for incarcerated individuals, limiting their ability to communicate with friends and family," according to the sheriff's department.

As of Tuesday afternoon, however, inmates could use jail phones to connect with loved ones, the agency reported.

"We understand the importance of maintaining these connections, and we appreciate the patience and understanding of those impacted during this time," the sheriff's department said.