WCSO 2021 Annual Report - Flipbook - Page 18
COVID IMPACT
ON JAIL OPERATIONS
Operating the only jail in a County of just over 600,372*
residents is challenging. Maintaining the safety and
security of everyone inside the jail requires a thoughtful
systems approach with quality care and services. Our
jail staff works faithfully around the clock to ensure
Washington County’s only jail is safe and secure for the
public, staff, and adults in custody.
In 2021, COVID-19 safety protocols continued to
significantly impact jail operations, including masks and
temperature checks upon entry, isolation protocols for
any positive cases of adults in custody, and reduction
of those in custody. Jail staff were challenged to find a
balance between creating an environment safe from
COVID-19 and ensuring dangerous offenders were not
release early due to overcrowding.
WCSO is incredibly proud of the dedicated staff who
continued to work in person each day to maintain the
safety and security of our facility. Health and safety
measures in a jail setting impact operations and
ultimately increase the safety of everyone in the facility.
For those working in corrections, Lieutenant Jordan
Weston points out, “There has been no change with the
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mask mandate since day one. There is not a reason that
staff is permitted to take off the masks — ever — within
the secure perimeter.”
Since March 2020, jail staff has booked more than
18,000 adults into the jail facility, with only 32 adults in
custody testing positive for COVID-19. Jail staff worked
closely with the jail’s contracted medical care provider
to maintain proper testing procedures and consistent
monitoring of symptoms throughout an individual’s
quarantine period. At one point, five cases of COVID-19
amongst adults in custody prompted the re-opening of
a housing unit — Pod 1 (a dorm-style pod) to house the
quarantined individuals. Lieutenant Weston credits
Lieutenant Jake Sehorn and the Jail Classification
Team with their astute ability to apply the intricate
classification system to a new combination of adults
in custody each day, and the added complexities of
accounting for any in-custody COVID-19 cases.
As health guidelines related to COVID-19 continue
to evolve, the WCSO Jail Team remains dedicated to
maintaining the health and safety of every individual
who enters the jail.
