Coronavirus: Shelby County Sheriff’s Office impacted by virus

SHELBY COUNTY — Nine employees of Shelby County Sheriff’s Office are either currently in quarantine or have tested positive for COVID-19. One is currently in the hospital.

Sheriff Lenhart said most of those affected were exposed by a family member or friend who has the virus. There are 2 cases where they’re not sure how they came in contact with the virus.

It has affected 11% of the 80 person staff at the department. They are still fully operational but they are stretched thin. Sheriff Lenhart says this is the most thin spread they’ve been in his memory. The last time was the Blizzard of 1978.

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Lenhart said the department is using its reserve deputies to help fill in.

They have four deputies out that are currently picking up murder suspects, one in Oregon and one in Arizona which is contributing to the strain.

Sheriff Lenhart says no cases have been found in the jail. Most deputies and detectives are working from home or from their cruiser to greatly limit who is in the office to try to minimize the risk of spread as well as chances it could get into the jail.

They have been doing it this way for 3 months.

Sheriff Lenhart they will move any and all personnel around that they need to in order to answer any and every call.

Cox Media Group