The Orange County Sheriff’s Office closed its office access to the public this week, a temporary move to protect its workers’ and the public’s health amid rises in COVID-19 cases.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood signed a printed letter on the door of the office in Hillsborough, saying the measure is to protect the health of sheriff’s deputies, office staff and the community. The message was also shared on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page.

This limiting of the office’s public access is similar to methods the Orange County Sheriff took in March, when the COVID-19 pandemic began in North Carolina, to maintain public health.

According to the post, some of the typical Sheriff’s Office services will be available to community members. The medicine drop receptacle for the public will still be available in the outer lobby and the office’s parking lot is still available as a Safe Zone for in-person meetings about online purchases. The sheriff said the Civil Division will still serve court papers and attorney visitation for inmates at the Orange County Detention Center are still allowed.

The Sheriff’s Office’s finger printing service, however, will be suspended with this office closure. Blackwood cited the close personal contact needed to complete fingerprinting as the reasoning for its pause.

The message on the office’s door says normal operations will resume upon official health recommendations to do so.
Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

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