The Oconee Sheriff makes further announcement

Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw announces some initial agency responses and adjustments today in regard to the  COVID-19 pandemic. “Yesterday evening, I issued some preliminary measures to our employees in regards to COVID-19 and the steps I feel our agency needs to take at this time,” says Sheriff Crenshaw. “The reasons for these measures is for the safety and health of our employees so we can continue to provide law enforcement and related services to those in our county, whether it be in regards to calls for service in the community or for those who are currently housed in the general population in our Detention Center.” Effective immediately, Sheriff Crenshaw is initiating the following measures:

• The general public and our citizens will not be allowed access to our E-911 Communications Centers at this time. Sworn personnel are only being allowed in dispatch as absolutely necessary.
• Citizen access to the remainder of the Law Enforcement Center will be limited to the downstairs lobby on the first floor. Appropriate personnel will be contacted should they have a visitor and then those individuals will respond to the lobby window and a decision will be made regarding face to face visitation.
• The Sheriff’s Office has temporarily stopped all volunteer groups from visiting the Law Enforcement Center and the Detention Center. Due to the Emergency Declaration issued by the Governor’s Office, and even with the Detention Center using video visitation services, all visitations at the Detention Center is being suspended temporarily.
• All work assignments performed by state trustees currently housed in the Detention Center is being suspended temporarily.
• Certified deputies whose job duties include responding to calls for service have been instructed to make sure that they have face masks in their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits. Gloves and hand sanitizer are normally carried in vehicles of certified deputies whose job duties include responding to calls for service.
• Employees of the Sheriff’s Office who are feeling sick are being asked to stay home and to follow the normal sick day reporting policy.

“As we go through the next days and weeks to come, and depending of further recommendations from the Center for Disease control, the Sheriff’s Office may modify or add to these initial response and adjustments I am announcing today,” says Sheriff Crenshaw. “We will issue additional releases as conditions warrant and change.”