Cuyahoga County Weighs $2.7M AI Contract for Jail Call Monitoring
Cuyahoga County is considering a two-year agreement with LEO Technologies to continue AI-assisted analysis of recorded jail calls after approximately a year of deployment.
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, is considering a $2.7 million, two-year contract to continue using artificial intelligence to analyze recorded telephone calls at the county jail, extending a technology deployment that has been operating for approximately a year.
$2.7M proposal advances toward full Council
The proposed agreement involves Texas-based LEO Technologies, whose Verus software analyzes recorded detainee calls and alerts jail personnel to communications that may indicate criminal activity, threats or other safety concerns.
The proposal advanced through the Cuyahoga County Council Operations, Information Technology & Public Transportation Committee on September 15, 2026. The county’s next regular Council meeting is scheduled for September 22, 2026 at 5 p.m.
Because the proposed contract exceeds $750,000, final approval falls within County Council’s contracting authority.
AI-assisted call monitoring is already in use
The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department has used Verus at the Cleveland jail for approximately a year.
According to Chief Deputy Aaron Reese, the system uses keywords to identify recorded calls for further review. Reese told County Council that during the second quarter of 2026 the system captured 88 confessions. He also credited the technology with helping solve 23 homicides and prevent 30 suicides.
The current deployment is focused on telephone-call monitoring. County officials said LEO Technologies’ separate AI-assisted camera-monitoring capabilities are not part of the current deployment.
County technology review documented a larger three-year request
Cuyahoga County Technical Advisory Committee records from April 2, 2026 identify request 2026-TAC-027, which sought approval to enter into a three-year LEO Technologies software subscription agreement for the Sheriff’s Department with an amount not to exceed $3,966,382.53.
- Request2026-TAC-027
- DepartmentCuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department
- VendorLEO Technologies
- ProductLEO Verus SaaS
- TermThree years
- Ceiling$3,966,382.53
The county record states that Sheriff’s Department and LEO Technologies representatives discussed the proposed three-year agreement, funding sources, AI implementation guidelines, support, data ownership and pricing. The Technical Advisory Committee recorded unanimous approval of the request.
The TAC action should not be read as final contract authorization. The committee serves as a technology-review and recommendation body, while the current $2.7 million proposal is proceeding separately through County Council.
Final Council action remains pending
The September 15 committee action advances the proposed contract but does not constitute final County Council approval.
If approved, the agreement would continue the Sheriff’s Department’s existing use of LEO Technologies software for another two years, extending an established AI-assisted detention communications deployment at the Cuyahoga County jail.
Official sources
- Cuyahoga County Technical Advisory Committee — April 2, 2026 agenda and request 2026-TAC-027
- Cuyahoga County Council — Operations, Information Technology & Public Transportation Committee
- Cuyahoga County Council — 2026 meeting schedule
- Cuyahoga County Department of Purchasing — contract approval thresholds
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Sponsor Independent News →Editorial note: OACRA News & Policy Review is published by OACRA LLC, an independent private organization. OACRA is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cuyahoga County, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, LEO Technologies or any contractor associated with this procurement. Contract status, technology-review information and meeting dates are based on official Cuyahoga County records reviewed September 18, 2026. Operational-use figures attributed to Sheriff’s Department officials were reported during County Council proceedings.
