HCSO Announces Changes In Public Safety Protocols To Protect Employees From Coronavirus

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office knows that the COVID-19 virus is present in Hays County and that the spreading of the virus is most likely inevitable.

According to HSCO, “it is imperative that the Sheriff’s Office applies due diligence in keeping their employees from becoming infected as well as inadvertently spreading the virus to the citizenry of Hays County.”

Therefore, the office is implementing the following protocols that were set into place on Sunday in an attempt to mitigate the spreading of COVID-19 and still provide law enforcement services to Hays County.

Law Enforcement Response:

• Emergency/Life-threatening calls or “in progress” calls for service will remain the same and will not change

• Non-Emergency/Routine calls for service will be handled over the phone if at all possible. If a response is required, their dispatchers have been directed to ask if anyone in the household is exhibiting symptoms of the COVID-19 virus.

• Deputies responding to a residence will make every attempt not to go inside the residence unless it is absolutely necessary and will be asking people to step outside when responding to a call for service.

• Deputies will try to maintain a “social distance” of approximately six feet with people they are interacting with.

• All civilian “ride-alongs” have been canceled until further notice.

Jail Operations

• All face to face visits have been canceled until further notice with the exception of attorney visits. Video visits are still available for the inmates.

• During the intake of arrestees, their medical staff will assess the arrestee specifically for COVID-19. If the arrestee is showing symptoms of the virus, he/she will be redirected to a hospital and will not be accepted into the jail until he/she has been cleared by a doctor.

• All volunteer services have been suspended until further notice.

• Access to the jail will be limited to persons with a legitimate law enforcement purpose.