Sheriff’s Message regarding COVID-19 Prevention Measures at Purgatory Correctional Facility

While at present there have been no cases of COVID-19 at Purgatory Correctional Facility (PCF), due to the measures called for by State and Federal governments, I wanted to take this opportunity to inform you of the steps the Washington County Sheriff’s Office has already taken, and those we will be taking in the near future, to help manage the COVID-19 virus at PCF. Last week, PCF established a Disease Committee specifically to oversee and manage the execution of our four-phase pandemic response plan.

The committee has already made adjustments to our intake screening process (which now includes specific COVID-19 related medical questions), distributed educational information regarding the COVID-19 virus and basic sanitation practices to both staff and our inmates, implemented an inmate sanitation crew within the facility, and established an internal system for tracking illness and potential COVID-19 symptoms among staff and the inmate population.

Effective immediately, and until further notice, the following operational adjustments will also be implemented at the Purgatory Correctional Facility:

The Disease Committee will meet weekly to review and discuss any available statistical data including, but not limited to, National exposure data, State exposure data, County exposure data, and symptomatic tracking data from within the facility.

-The PCF Medical Branch will be working to increase the facility’s surplus of over-the-counter cold and influenza medications.

-The PCF Support Services Branch will be working to increase the facility’s stock of personal protective equipment and environmental infection control supplies.

-PCF has suspended all contracted, off-site inmate work crew jobs.

-PCF has suspended all on-site visitation, to include all legal, personal, and religious visits. All visitors are encouraged to use the messaging, telephone, and/or video visitation features available on our GTL communication system until the on-site visits are reinstated.

Effective Monday, March 16th, and until further notice, the following operational adjustments will also be implemented at the Purgatory Correctional Facility:

-PCF will not be accepting any inmates who report to serve partial commitments (i.e weekend commitments). Due to the frequency that inmates serving partial commitments come and go from the facility, they create an unreasonable and unnecessary risk of exposure for the facility. In addition, the housing area normally reserved for these inmates will be prepped for use as an isolation/quarantine area, should one be deemed necessary.

-PCF will be substantially limiting inmate recreational opportunities to allow for the appropriate cleaning of the recreational areas between each use.

-PCF will be asking all other local law enforcement agencies to use extreme discretion when deciding whether or not a transport to PCF is necessary. We will be asking them to cite and release whenever doing so is a viable option. This will be done in an effort to avoid having to place any formal restrictions on admission to the facility, should the risk of COVID-19 virus in the facility continue to increase.

On behalf of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, I would like to thank all of our community partners in advance for their assistance in this matter. We realize that these operational adjustments will directly impact some of your day to day duties. To help assist everyone through this process, I have also attached a copy of our Disease Pandemic policy. This should provide each of you with some advance knowledge of additional precautions PCF will be taking when/if the concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus continue to escalate.

Sheriff Cory C. Pulsipher