covid spike at ocj

Powles.

Inmate transports are on hold and court proceedings postponed, as the oneida county jail deals with a spike in covid cases.

18 inmates tested positive for the virus since march 10th.

Only five have yet to clear quarantine, but, nearly 20 corrections officers are out of work with the virus.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris has your top story.

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None "it's a challenging time at the ocj.

The highest number of inmates in recent years, nearly 20 cos out with covid, and, it's forced them to halt some operations" naythen aubain was supposed to be sentenced in oneida county court today for the deaths of his elderly grandmother and their landlord in january of 2019.

But he couldn't be sentenced because he couldn't be brought to oneida county court.

The sheriff's department has stopped transporting inmates, due to a spike in coronavirus cases at the oneida county jail.

Seventeen corrections officers are currently out of work with the coronavirus.

Five inmates have it.

Covid is only one challenge that's trying the staff of the oneida county jail right now.

4:32 "so what i'm dealing with now is a higher jail population than we've seen in probably two years, i've got 17 officers out on covid i also have a corrections academy that is currently on hold" 4:45 5:03 'and on top of that i have about 55 vacant, full- time positions here in the facility" 5:07 bail reform hasn't gone away.

Ocj's inmate numbers are currently inflated because covid has soon to be state inmates in a holding pattern.

3:30 "i have nearly 60, and that's gonna be a record.

I have nearly 60 inmates being he he at the county jail that have been sentenced to state prison time that aren't being taken into docs because of covid" as far as having 17 cos out with covid, the sheriff says remaining staff are stepping up and taxpayers, footing the bill 9:47 "lot of mandated overtime, people have had time off canceled or postponed.

People in ma cases haveo work2 and 16 ho shifts ju to coverosts" sheriffmaciol s under control.

He says the corrections academy will be on hold for at least another week.

They were just starting to discuss resuming jail visitation after a full year, but now that, too, is on hold for now.

Jf, nc2.

> going county by county with the newest coronavirus numbers.

In oneida