COVINGTON, Ga. — The Newton County Sheriff’s Office changed how it conducts many of its jail operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes were made with the safety and health of the jail’s staff and inmates as top priority.
Bonding procedures
The Newton County Jail changed its bonding procedures to minimize the traffic within the facility. Until further notice, the bonding agency will call to notify the administration tech at the Sheriff’s Office when they are on the way to the jail.
Upon arrival, the bondsman will wait outside the facility with the bonding documents for the inmates to sign. A deputy or shift supervisor will retrieve the documents from the bondsman and take them into the facility to be signed by the inmates.
Once the documents are signed by the inmates, the deputy or shift supervisor will return the signed documents to the bondsman, who will remain outside the facility throughout the entire process.
Visitations
In mid-March, the Sheriff’s Office suspended all on-site visitation until further notice following the confirmation of the first case of COVID-19 in Newton County.
In response to the suspension of all on-site visitation, video visitation was implemented in late-April as a way for individuals to remain connected to their loved ones.
To utilize video visitation, follow the instructions below:
Step 1: Create an account through HomeWAV by visiting HomeWAV.com or downloading the free mobile app on your phone.
Step 2: Select the Newton County Sheriff’s Office as your facility of choice. Select the inmate you wish to speak with and add funds to enable the inmate to communicate.
Step 3: Once the Newton County Sheriff’s Office approves your account, wait for the inmate to initiate the call.
Step 4: Stay logged in to your account as you wait to ensure the inmate sees you are available.
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office will not resume on-site visitation until it is safe to do so; all individuals will be notified as soon as a decision has been made to resume on-site visitation.
Weekenders and Work Release programs
In mid-March, Newton County Superior Court judges and Sheriff Ezell Brown met and agreed to temporarily suspend the Weekender and Work Release programs to ensure the safety of the jail staff, inmates, and visitors amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
During the suspension, weekenders and work release inmates will be monitored by the Sheriff’s Office in accordance to conditions set forth by the programs. House arrest will be used in certain cases.
The programs will resume once the outbreak has been contained. The Sheriff’s Office will provide a specific start date as more information becomes available.
For questions regarding the suspension, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 678-625-1403.
