DOUBLE SPRINGS - Winston County Sheriff Horace Moore has announced changes to the inmate visitation policy at the Winston County jail out of precaution over coronavirus or COVID-19, after 29 cases were confirmed in the state by press time.
Although there have been no confirmed cases in Winston County as of press time Tuesday, Moore is taking several precautionary steps concerning the jail to protect staff and the approximately 130 inmates there.
“I have suspended all visitations at the sheriff’s office,” Moore announced. “There will be no visitations until further notice.”
Moore also changed the procedure in which an inmate is bonded out of jail, he said.
“There will be nobody in the jail except the necessary employees where we carry in and out with the deputies. There will be no visitors inside the jail except maybe court personnel and attorneys that might need to see a client,” said Moore.
In these cases, they will be allowed to be in a special location away from inmates, the sheriff further explained.
Video visitations of inmates will be allowed on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in the room where video screens allow for video visitation with inmates.
All visits from church groups to the jail are also being suspended until further notice.
“I am doing this for the safety and well being of the inmates,” Moore stated. “I am responsible for the inmates, and I am going to do all I can to protect them.”
These changes have been recommended by the state. “This is for better protection of the inmates who are incarcerated,” the sheriff said.
If the COVID-19 pandemic continues with changes and closures, which are taking place statewide, Moore sees it as being detrimental to the county.
“If it goes on for a long period of time, it will hurt the economy,” Moore said. “People will be in panic mode and things will be harder to control.”
Moore assures residents that the sheriff’s office will continue protecting the citizens of the county and their property.
“That is not going to change,” he said.
What will change is even tighter restrictions around the jail compound, the sheriff continued.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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