ABILENE, TX – Sheriff Shawn Gillen says The Aroostook County Jail will be stopping all new intakes and will shut down facility services that require in person attendance. After consulting with the CDC and reviewing the Aroostook County Jail policy on infectious diseases, it was determined that the facility has a COVID-19 outbreak. Per the Aroostook County Jail policy, it is considered a COVID-19 outbreak when 3 or more inmates test positive for the virus.
In consultation with ME CDC and other stakeholders, jail medical will universally test all staff and inmates at the County Jail. The staff and inmates will be continuously monitored by our medical provider and treated as needed.
The County Jail will not take new arrests from any agency but will divert any arrests to other County jails that have capacity. All programs that are not organic to the Sheriff’s Office will be postponed, with only emergency medical and mental health services being allowed in the facility. The Sheriff’s Office utilizes on-line meeting applications when possible to limit the number of persons entering the jail. Most services will continue but will be attended by video such as court appearances, peer counseling, and medications assisted treatment services.
The Sheriff’s Office will consult with Maine CDC with a re-start date and anticipate a 28-day cycle before operations return to pre-outbreak conditions.
