Due to Recent Concerns – Bartholomew County Jail Releases Covid 19 Stats
During 2020, there were 2,500-plus inmates booked into the Bartholomew County Jail. Between March, 2020 through December, 2020, 11 inmates tested positive for Covid 19. All were able to either be released from Jail or were placed in quarantine.
In addition, a total of 19 employees (merit deputies, correction officers, reserve deputies, support staff, etc.,) tested positive for Covid 19. Employees were quarantined in their homes away from other staff members and/or inmates.
Currently, no staff members have tested positive or are showing any symptoms. Over the past few of days, 7 inmates have shown symptoms. Five have tested positive, one inmate refused to be tested and one inmate was released.
Effective immediately:
We will further restrict visitors into the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office and no visitors will be allowed in the Bartholomew County Jail.
In our attempt to make more space available, we worked with our courts to decrease our inmate population and Jail staff moved and re-adjusted cell blocks to make more room for inmates in and out of quarantine.
Only low-level inmates with no threat to public safety were released during 2020.
In 2019, BCJ’s average population was 253 inmates with a high of 264 and a low of 242.
This compares to an average population of 206 in 2020 with a high of 218 and a low of 192.
During this pandemic, BCSO/BCJ has continued to work with, seek guidance from and implement all safety precautions deemed necessary by the County Health Department.
“BCJ staff has worked diligently to keep Covid out of our jail”, said Bartholomew County Sheriff Matthew A. Myers. “We continue to monitor this and we will continue to do so until Covid is no longer a threat”. “BCJ staff has done an excellent job keeping our inmate population and our staff safe”, added Sheriff Myers.