Sonora, CA…This week, Tuolumne County Jail staff has worked closely with Department of Public Health (DPH) officials to test inmates for COVID-19. As a result, 16 inmates in three housing units have tested positive for the virus.

In order to maintain safe conditions at the jail and slow the spread of Coronavirus, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office is required to immediately reduce the overall jail population to 50% . The temporary reduction will allow infected inmates adequate space to quarantine. In order to bring the jail population to 50%, thirteen inmates classified as “non-violent offenders” will be released from custody within the next 12 hours. These inmates are within 30 days of release.

“The safety of our community is my number one priority,” said Tuolumne County Sheriff Bill Pooley. “We are working to strike a balance between keeping our residents safe and ensuring that the inmates, who are under our care, are adequately treated for COVID-19.”

The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely with DPH to maintain all quarantine procedures and testing protocols. Safety is our number one priority, and we will continue adjust our response as necessary to meet the needs of our community while complying with DPH requirements.
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