Prowers County Sheriff’s Office RE: Coronavirus Response

 

103 E. Oak Street, Lamar, Colorado 81052

719-336-8050 719-336-7900 fax

 

Sheriff Sam Zordel

Beginning Immediately – March 17th, 2020.

 

TO: Agencies, Offices, and Public doing business with Prowers CSO

FROM: Sheriff Sam Zordel – Prowers County

REF: Operations at Prowers County Jail during COVID-19 responses

 

To Whom It May Concern,

 

While I believe there is a lot of misinformation circulating about COVID, I do feel it is

pertinent to carry out some changes in regards to being prepared and to limit any additional

spread of the virus. I encourage you to educate yourselves and use common sense in your

decisions about this outbreak, keeping yourselves and others in mind when you interact with

others in our communities.

Most of my office’s responsibilities will be in place, the operations of my patrol

personnel will continue, as they are needed now more than ever, considering other orders and

mandates being pushed down from the State and Judicial levels, we still have a public service

and caretaking function that has to go on. There maybe some slight changes in non-essential

services such as VIN Inspections (VINs) and Concealed Handgun Permits (CHPs), but again

those become non-essential based on public orders from the State. The public’s interaction with

the Prowers County Jail will change, as we will be suspending some of the services which

introduce the public into the facility, in order to protect the current inmate population and those

providing the services to our facility, due to our public caretaking functions as well as, the fact it

is a 24-hour confined (and currently over-crowded) building, which creates its own problems

when illnesses are introduced.

While my agency isn’t making huge changes, it is important for the public to understand

they need to be able to take their own precautions and be vigilant with the functions they have in

the community. My operations will be designed to cut back “Non-Essential” functions, and the

public should seek to limit their “Non-Essential” community functions as well. Please take heed

of the symptoms and stay home if you are exhibiting any of them, or even feeling ill in any other

fashion. Only do things in the community that are essential in maintaining you and your family’s

well-being. We will be re-evaluating these changes along the way as this is an ever-evolving

issue, but for the time being we long range plan that these non-essential functions will resume in

eight weeks, or May 17th, 2020.

Current and immediate changes will be made to protect everyone’s well-being as I have

previously stated, but we will continue to provide constitutionally-protected services, we will

strive to use other protocols, such as video, phones, and other means to still get those housed in

our facility the services they need. We will still be providing health-care, mental health, and

legal-based services, they will likely look different as judicial orders and provider service

policies have changed. Here is what we have identified as changes so far:

 

1. Fingerprinting of the public will be suspended, which also corresponds with

CHPs, generally CHPs can’t be completed without the fingerprinting process.

2. Church services provided by community-based churches and organizations will

be suspended, we will explore being able to provide them in the facility by other

capabilities.

3. VIN inspections will be limited and follow suit with County Clerk operations.

4. Attorneys have orders from the Judicial as well, and will be provided a capability

to speak with their clients who are incarcerated currently.

5. Public visits will still be available through the video visitation services

(Homewav) we have already had this service in place, however items and money

received from the public will be limited and reviewed on a case by case basis,

before being allowed into the facility.

6. Courts will be conducted, by Judicial order, and most likely video will be the

most available method, which will also limit the public as to how proceedings will

be conducted in the courtrooms.

7. Courthouse security will ask anyone exhibiting illness symptoms to come conduct

business at a later date, or try to handle it by phone with whichever office you

need, in the courthouse.

8. Arrestees will be screened prior to entering the jail facility for symptoms and

prior travel, and a determination will be made as to whether they will be allowed

into the facility with or without a medical clearance.

9. Our mental health provider has already changed their protocols and we will utilize

other means available to ensure services are provided.

 

Most of the changes will have little impact in the community as they are jail related.

Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding,

 

Sheriff Sam Zordel

Prowers County