Jails adapt policies and procedures to stem spread of coronavirus

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – As the coronavirus spreads, more people are trying to work from home, reducing their time in the public.

But for first responders, that’s not always an option. Police still have jobs to do, along with correction officers.

At the Chickasaw County Jail and Regional Correctional Facility, the only people coming and going, are staffers.

Both jails were closed to the public earlier this week, as the coronavirus spreads.

“It’s a heightened sense of alertness right now,” said Chickasaw County Sheriff Jim Meyers.

That heightened sense of alertness meant all employees were wearing gloves, and staff and inmates had their temperatures taken on a regular basis.

The sheriff said keeping staff and inmates safe and healthy was the top priority.

“We have a limited staff, and we’re trying our best to adhere to guidelines of CDC, because if three or four of my deputies get sick we will be real short manpower. When you are running a jail, the less people you have coming in and out, it helps a lot,” Sheriff Meyers said.

There’s not a lot the sheriff can do to reduce the inmate population at the Regional Jail, those inmates are serving state sentences, but at the county jail, the sheriff has more leeway.

“People that are brought in on misdemeanors, we try and get them out of jail as soon as possible, on a bond and like anything else in our business, we still have to answer calls, arrests are made, but we go through process with judges as far as getting bond set real quick,” Meyers said.

Sheriff Meyers believed some policies will change after the coronavirus crisis has passed.

For example, the sheriff said he will make sure there is more than enough cleaning supplies, and hand sanitizer on-site.

The regional jail has more than 300 inmates, while the county jail typically has anywhere from 40 to 70 inmates.