LUBBOCK, Texas – The Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department is taking steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Sheriff Kelly Rowe said the department is reducing the amount of traffic going in and out of the jails.
“We have suspended public visiting,” he said, “We’ve also suspended all of our volunteer work that goes on out there so everything having to do with our religious rehabilitative educational programming.”
Rowe said all individuals going into the jail including inmates and officers are mandated to have their temperature taken.
“If there is an issue with either case they’re going to be turned around at the door, and report to the hospital,” he said.
The department is also taking steps to limit the amount of contact officers have out in the field by working remotely when possible.
“We’re looking at doing things differently on your non violent, misdemeanor offenses,” he said, “Our communication centers going to be screening calls for service, just a little more to find out the nature of what the call isn’t for deputy is not absolutely needed we can take a report basically over the phone.”
He said infectious diseases are not new to the jails, and that there is always an infectious disease specialist on site.
“[We have] individuals coming in on a regular basis we see things like tuberculosis and scarlet fever and some of these things that for the most part been eradicated but it might have reemerg[ed] over the last couple of of years,” he said.
With all the protocol and staff at hand, Rowe said the Sheriff’s department is ready to handle the situation and that people can rest assured.
“We’re in a great place and Lubbock Texas we’ve been a great facility with the right kind of people, medical staff with the right specialties to address this with little to no concern,” he said.
