UPDATE APRIL 15: Las Vegas police say two inmates at Clark County Detention Center recovering from COVID-19.
ORIGINAL STORY: Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department provided the following Press Release detailing the procedures in place to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 within the Clark County Detention Center.
LVMPD Enhances Measures to Protect CCDC Inmates:
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has taken extensive measures toward protecting Clark County Detention Center (CCDC) inmates from the spread of COVID-19. Many of these efforts began the last week of January 2020, well before state mandates were placed on the general population.
With an already robust infectious disease protocol that has long been in place, CCDC officials were able to act quickly to protect its nearly 3,100 inmates through several means, including:
- Enhanced cleaning protocols in place 24/7
- Setting up sanitation stations in booking.
- Reducing holding cells in booking by 61 percent.
- Screening inmates for recent travel to hot spot areas and checking for symptoms prior to booking.
- Screening officers and staff entering the facility.
- Acting quickly when an arrestee or inmate is considered high risk for COVID-19 by either placing them under close medical observation in negative pressure rooms or transporting symptomatic patients to the hospital.
- Limiting outside providers coming into detention facilities.
- As an agency, extended additional directives to officers to not make misdemeanor arrests unless necessary or mandated by law.
CCDC has also implemented several “social distancing” strategies within the inmate housing environments to include:
- Educating the inmates on the need for “social distancing.”
- Split module free time.
- Multiple schedules for meals
- Spacing inmates out while using the phones, tables and restrooms.
- Providing open dorm bunks (when able).
- Providing weekly free phone calls in order to keep them in touch with their families during this trying time.
To date, there have been no confirmed inmate cases of COVID-19 within any of LVMPD’s detention facilities. Thus far, 270 inmates have been tracked and monitored for COVID-19 since March 12. 13 inmates have been tested with 11 testing negative and two results still pending.
Detention center leaders continue to be part of a network of other jails throughout North America that work together and share best practices on a weekly basis to ensure that every safety measure is being implemented.
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