Bradley County Sheriff Steve Lawson outlined changes at the jail and courts in relation to the coronavirus.
He said, "As of last Friday, my staff and I have begun phasing into what will be our 'new normal' until June 15 in light of the continuously unfolding COVID-19 phenomenon.
"In the jail, our corrections staff will continue wearing gloves and masks at all times to ensure the on-going health of themselves and our inmates. I am extremely thankful that we have successfully prevented the spread of illness to our inmates and am determined to keep it that way. When a staff member or new inmate enters the jail, we will continue checking his or her temperature and conducting thorough medical screenings of new inmates. Limitations to all on-site visitations and outside staffing programs will remain the same, pending re-evaluation.
"All four county sheriffs in the 10th Judicial District of Tennessee (Bradley, McMinn, Monroe and Polk) have communicated and are agreed on these guidelines for jail visitation until the aforementioned date.
"In the courts, our deputies will continue wearing gloves and masks at all times. Limited access to the courthouse will remain the same, and deputies will conduct brief medical screenings at the doors to all who require entry. Video conferencing arrangements for inmates, attorneys and judges have been successfully utilized for a few weeks now and will continue on until further notice.
"On the road, our patrol officers will continue operating as they have, while wearing proper PPE at all times they deem necessary. All roll call meetings will remain the same - no large gatherings; instead they will continue reading over roll call reports at the beginning of each shift. In lieu of making an arrest on misdemeanors, any non-violent offense will be issued a citation to appear in court. All other law enforcement agencies in our county have worked with us on this particular issue and have agreed to follow this temporary guideline until we re-evaluate on June 1st.
"In Criminal Investigations, our detectives have reported back to the office during normal business hours. The CID lobby entrance will remain closed, meaning that the Sheriff's Office entrance is the only available access point to the public.
"In the office, our administrative staff has returned to operating under normal business hours. The Sheriff's Office lobby is open during these hours, but we are strongly encouraging the public to use alternative ways to receive and submit reports. For those who need assistance, we are happy to correspond via email at sofrontdesk@ bradleycountytn.gov or have an officer deliver reports. When coming to the Sheriff's office, we ask that everyone call ahead at (423) 728-7301.
"Thank you all for your continued understanding and cooperation with these temporary standards. It is of the upmost importance to myself and my staff that we do everything we can to continue preserving the health and wellness of our employees and our inmates."