SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The San Diego County Sheriff's Department on Friday announced jails were making as much physical distancing as possible among the inmate population by accelerating release credits for eligible inmates with 60 days or less on their sentence.
Inmates deemed as medically high-risk will also be released. Inmates have also been released on zero bail per an "emergency booking criteria" to reduce the number of people being booked into our jails.
The sheriff's department said it is now able to quarantine anyone booked into jail for a seven-day period.
The department also said it was taking the additional measures:
• Temperature checks for all entering the facilities
• Daily temperature checks of all inmates in custody
• Increased cleaning, disinfecting
• Education and awareness for the inmates
• Identification and isolation of those being symptomatic: Empty housing units designated for isolation to separate the sick from the healthy.
• Masks for inmates and staff, as well as limiting movement at all our jails
• Emphasis on hand washing, good hygiene
Testing is available for inmates and is conducted at the direction of a medical provider.
The Sheriff's Medical Services Division has implemented protocols and a discharge process for individuals housed in isolation modules and/or have tested positive for COVID-19.
As of Friday, out of a jail population of 4,112 spread out over seven jails, there is one person in custody who has tested positive for COVID-19, according to the department.
To date, nine Sheriff's employees who work in various bureaus throughout our department have tested positive and all of them are doing well.