On Saturday, a deputy at the Washoe County Detention Facility tested positive for COVID-19. The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is taking extra steps to ramp up cleaning and even screening procedures at the jail.
"Sheriff Balaam is of course monitoring this moment by moment, and if there are any future steps that are recommended by the health district appropriate to this response, we will take them," said Bob Harmon, Public Information Officer for the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Some of the steps they are taking right now include a single point entry and screening for all employees and visitors. They are even screening people by taking temperatures before admitting anyone and have ramped up their cleaning efforts for the last few weeks.
"At this point I am not aware of any cases inside the detention facility," said Harmon.
With the suspension of transportation of inmates to the courts on the 17th, the court system had to make changes to keep the wheels of justice turning.
"Our district court held it's first in custody remote criminal calendar on March 20th. The Sheriff's Office was very pleased on how that worked out, whereby they didn't have to do any transports and they could do everything remotely," said Chief Judge Scott N. Freeman with the Second Judicial District Court of Washoe County.
Judge Freeman also spoke of the importance of keeping social distancing while still affording inmates their rights. He also spoke on how there is no early release due to the pandemic and that inmates are not seeing any increase in time when it comes to seeing a judge.
“At the district court level we handle the most serious felonies and jury trial cases. Our criminal dockets are going daily, there is absolutely no delay," said Judge Freeman. "Under no circumstances is justice being delayed for our people in custody that are in jail."
