ROCHESTER, Minn. -- The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Department is changing the way it operates to keep jail inmates and staff safe.
Sheriff Kevin Torgerson says right now the detention center is down to 72 detainees and won’t go over 75.
Torgerson says that’s about as low as the center can get at this point. The department says that will allow the center to minimize impact is there’s a case of coronavirus.
He explained, “It gives us some flexibility if we do get COVID in the facility that we can separate and keep people separated in there and minimize the spread that might go on inside with detainees but as well as with our staff, keeping that as low as possible.”
KIMT News 3 is also learning about some of the calls the sheriff’s department is receiving.
Torgerson said person in crisis incident, involving mental health calls, are increasing during this time. Domestic violence and restraining order violations have seen a slight uptick as well.
On the other hand traffic incident have decreased.
The department also says it is currently working on decontamination efforts in the event of a COVID-19 case at the jail.
