A monthlong process of phasing back into normal procedures at the Bradley County Justice Center with social distancing guidelines began on Monday. This gradual re-open will affect all divisions of the Justice Center, including visitation with inmates, which will resume operations with proper social distancing guidelines on Monday, June 15.

The visitation lobby will re-open with social distancing guidelines on Monday, June 15, for public visits. Beginning on Monday, June 8, a visitation scheduler will be activated to allow scheduling public visits, which will be treated on a first come, first served basis. In accordance to social distancing, only alternating terminals will be open for use, to allow for necessary space between each user. To ensure scheduled disinfection, each open terminal will operate on a 30-minute visitation policy. The visitation lobby will be open during regular business hours — 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. — with the first available visit beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 9:30 a.m. Each visit to follow will begin every hour on the hour, excluding 12 p.m. while the visitation lobby is closed for employee lunch. With these guidelines in place, there will be six terminals available for up to seven visits a day, which will allow for 42 potential visits each day. Each visit will be limited to one adult at
a time, with a no children policy.

Any inmate trustee programs will operate on an as needed basis when they are provided with proper protective equipment. The reopening of the work house will be taken under consideration beginning July 1.

The Patrol and Correctional Divisions will continue utilizing remote conferencing and/or written reports in lieu of in-person roll call meetings. Patrol officers have been instructed to wear a mask and gloves while interacting with the public as they feel necessary, while correctional officers will continue doing so at all times while in the jail.

The Sheriff’s Office lobby will continue operating under normal business hours and the Criminal Investigations Division entrance will be re-opened to the public. Both offices encourage the public to call ahead before entering the facilities and will offer any remote assistance available over phone/email.

“This is a gradual re-opening,” said Sheriff Steve Lawson. “We will continue taking these baby steps when it comes to returning to normal procedures at our Justice Center, but especially when it comes to the jail. As we do this, my top priority is to protective the health of our inmates and my employees.”