Collin County Sheriff
- How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect the Sheriff's Office?
The Sheriff's Office remains committed to keeping the peace, enforcing
the law, safeguarding the county jail, and maintaining public safety.
During the pandemic and related states of disaster, deputy sheriffs,
detention officers, and other personnel will take certain precautions, such as practicing social
distancing and handling more functions over the phone, by email, and through County or
County-approved websites. We will screen persons, including our own personnel, other peace and
corrections officers, detainees, and visitors to the Sheriff's Office, including the Collin
County Detention Facility (the county jail) in order reduce the risk of exposure to the virus
that causes COVID-19. Also, some activities will be suspended or curtailed.
- How long do you expect this to last?
At this point, that is unclear. I and my staff will follow the
directions from County Judge Chris Hill and the advice and guidance of federal, state, and
local public-health authorities.
To recap: On March 13, the President declared a national emergency
related to the virus, SARS-CoV-2, and the Governor and County Judge followed with declarations
of a state of disaster for the State and Collin County on March 13 and 16. On
March 19, the Governor issued Executive Order GA-08, and the State Commissioner of Public
Health declared a public-health disaster in the State. The County Judge issued an Order of the
County Judge (Mar. 19, 2020).
You can find more information on Collin County's website and download
the Sheriff's App here:
Collin
County
Sheriff's App for Apple Devices and
Collin
County Sheriff's App for Android Devices
Collin County Detention Facility
- What is the Detention Facility doing to keep the inmates and employees safe from
contracting the COVID-19?
The county jail is screening all staff at the beginning and end of
their shifts. Staff also screen all incoming inmates at intake and have enhanced the cleaning
procedures in housing, common areas, and other parts of the facility, including cleaning
multiple times per day. Inmates are being told to keep their social distancing and follow
recommended hygiene practices. The jail continues to provide cleaning supplies to inmates.
- When will visitations resume?
On March 13, 2020, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards
suspended the visitation rules in county jails as part of the State's response to the
coronavirus. This suspension will remain in effect until the Office of the Governor ends it or
lifts its March 13, 2020 disaster declaration or until the declaration expires.
- What about attorney visitation?
Collin County has limited facilities for video visitation between the
Collin County Courthouse and the Detention Facility.
Inmates can also call their attorneys from the Detention Facility.
The Detention Facility has started screening attorneys who seek to
visit inmate-clients in the Facility. This screening will last during the state of disaster as
well.
- Will the inmates get extra phone calls
while the friends and family visits are suspended?
Before the current state of disaster, the Detention Facility afforded
inmates one free five-minute phone call per week set on a monthly cycle (4 calls per 31 day
cycle).
During the state of disaster, the Facility will provide inmates with
two free ten-minute telephone calls per week set on a monthly cycle (8 calls per 31 day cycle).
Inmates will only be afforded a total of 8 free calls in the month of
March. The new cycle will begin April 1, 2020.
- Will the Detention Facility accept surety bonds or cash bonds/fines?
All bonds processing and collection of fines will continue at the Bonds
Desk, located in the lower level of the Detention Facility.
The Detention Facility is working on procedures to electronically
accept bonding instruments from licensed, local bond agencies.
The Detention Facility inventories the property of all incoming inmates
and deposits an inmate's money on the inmate's commissary account.
- How do I place money on an inmate's commissary or phone account?
During the state of emergency, the Detention Facility will not accept
commissary deposits in person. Deposits can be made at the
Touchpay Payment Portal. The
Detention Facility will not share an inmate's account balance.
Inmates can transfer money from their commissary account to their phone
account.
To place money on an inmate's phone account visit:
ICSolutions.
You may also deposit money onto an inmate's commissary account through
the Sheriff's App. The app will redirect you to the appropriate website for a secure
transaction.
If you wish to send an iCare gift to an inmate, visit:
ICare Shop
- Is the Detention Facility still doing weekend commitments?
The Collin County Courts have suspended weekend and intermittent
sentences and work-release programming until May 4, 2020. The courts may extend or revise
this suspension based on the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact your designated court or Community
Supervision Officer.
- Can the public wait in the Detention Facility lobby for their loved ones to be
released?
On March 16, 2020, President Trump's
CoronavirusGuidelines for America called on Americans to
slow the spread of COVID-19 by avoiding social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.
On March 19, County Judge Chris Hill issued the Order of the County
Judge (Mar. 19, 2020) and closed the county governmental offices for unscheduled, in-person
services for the duration of his declaration of a state of disaster and public-health emergency.
Thus, the Detention Facility asks you to please wait in your vehicle
for your loved one.
The President's Coronavirus
Guidelines for
America
County
Judge issues executive order to suspend walk-in traffic at county buildings
Declaration
of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency
Operations Division of the Sheriff's Office
- What is the Operations Division?
The Sheriff's Office is roughly divided between the Detention Facility
(the county jail) and its parts (like the Intake area and the Bonds Desk) and the Operations
Division. As examples, the Patrol Section, Criminal Investigations, the Communications Center
(Dispatch), and the Warrants and Records Section, are in the Operations Division.
- What's the best way to contact the Operations Division?
The best way to reach Patrol or Criminal Investigations, for example,
is to call the Communications Center (Dispatch):
- For emergencies, call 9-1-1.
- For other calls, please call 972-547-5350.
- How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect the Patrol Section?
Collin County deputies will continue to patrol as normal the 500 square
miles of territory in the unincorporated areas of the County and in their patrol districts. But
the deputies will also use social-distancing precautions when interacting with residents. For
example, deputies won't shake hands and may talk to you from a distance.
When social distancing is not feasible, a deputy may use personal
protective equipment to respond to a situation.
Currently, deputies use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that
includes latex gloves and masks.
- How are deputies responding to calls for service?
To minimize face-to-face contact, deputies will handle calls that are
not in progress by phone. Deputies will respond in person to in-progress calls.
Calls Not In Progress. Deputies will generally handle these calls and
take reports by phone or by email: property damage, theft, and fraud. Again, these are only
examples and not a complete list.
Domestic Disputes. Deputies will respond in person to physical and
verbal domestic disputes.
Assaults. Deputies will respond in person to assaults that are ongoing
or in progress.
- How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect Criminal Investigations?
Collin County criminal investigators, detectives, and forensic analysts
will continue to investigate possible or reported crimes. Like patrol deputies, these
investigators will take social-distancing precautions.
Criminal investigators will also respond to some calls and gather
information or statements about reports of crimes by phone and email.
In addition to PPE like gloves and masks, criminal investigators also
have special PPE to investigate the scene of a death, such as a Tyvek protective suit.
- I recently filed a criminal-offense report. Is my case still being
investigated?
Yes. The Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate reported crimes
without interruption.
- How do I provide a statement to the Investigator?
Most investigations require statements from victims and witnesses. An
investigator may ask you to answer questions or give a statement over the phone. An investigator
may ask you to email your statement, if possible, rather than meeting in person.
Collin County Communications Center (Dispatch)
- What's the best way to contact the Communications Center (Dispatch)?
The best way to reach Patrol or Criminal Investigations, for example,
is to call the Communications Center (Dispatch):
- For emergencies, call 9-1-1.
- For all other calls, please call 972.547.5350.
- Where in Collin County can a person get tested for COVID-19?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not
everyone needs to be tested for COVID-19. Please visit
www.cdc.gov for more information.
- Most infected persons have mild illness and are able to recover at home.
- There is no treatment specifically approved for this virus.
- People should comply with the recommendations about social distancing and the order about
avoiding social gatherings of more than 10 persons; avoiding eating in bars, restaurants,
and food courts (except that drive-through, delivery, and pickup options are encouraged);
and refraining from visiting nursing homes and retirement and long-term-care facilities,
unless to provide critical assistance, in Governor Greg Abbott's Executive Order GA-08
(March 19, 2020).
- Link: Governor
Abbott Issues Executive Orders In Accordance With Federal Guidelines To Mitigate Spread
Of COVID-19 In Texas
- Link: Executive
Order Relating to COVID-19 preparedness and mitigation
- Testing results may help some persons make decisions about whether to meet other persons
and, if it is justified, which persons to meet. Again, however, all persons should follow
the Governor's Executive Order GA-08 (Mar. 19, 2020).
- Please check with your local physician to see if he or she is offering coronavirus testing.
If not, your physician may know of a facility that does currently offer testing.
On March 19, John W. Hellerstedt, M.D., Commissioner of Public
Health for the State of Texas, declared a public-health disaster in the State related to
COVID-19. His declaration included recommendations for persons who would seek "medical
evaluation and treatment."
DECLARATION
OF A PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS
Testing sites can change daily, depending on willingness and capability to test. A
facility's supply of proper protective equipment, such as gloves, gowns, masks, and face
shields, can change rapidly. Always call first, describe your situation, and double check if
testing is recommended and available.
Collin County's Public Health Department does not have a lab. So, the
Department is not currently testing.
- Will Collin County set up testing sites like Dallas?
Not at this time. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) set up
the testing centers in Dallas.
A person must meet strict criteria to be tested. The criteria can be
found at
www.cdc.gov
- Where can a person be referred to for coronavirus testing?
A person may contact his or her local primary care physician to check
on the availability of testing. But a person must meet strict criteria to be tested. The
criteria can be found at
www.cdc.gov.
- Is there a mandate that all restaurants in Collin County close their seating areas so
that the only thing available is take out, drive through, and delivery?
Yes. In Executive Order GA-08 (Mar. 19, 2020), Governor Greg
Abbott ordered (1) "every person in Texas" to "avoid social gatherings in groups of more
than 10 people," and (2) "people [to] avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and
food courts, or visiting gyms or massage parlors; provided that the use of drive-thru, pickup,
or delivery options is allowed and highly encouraged throughout the limited duration of this
executive order."
The Executive Order clarifies includes additional information. Links:
On March 19, 2020, John W. Hellerstedt, M.D., Commissioner of
Public Health for the State of Texas, issued a Declaration of a Public Health Disaster in the
State of Texas.
The declaration said, in part, "Restaurants should not allow dine-in
options, either inside or outside. Take-out and curbside options with minimal contact are
permitted and highly encouraged."
Link:
Declaration
of a Public Health Disaster in the State of Texas
In addition, many restaurants, bars, and food courts are located in a
municipality, such as the City of Plano or City of McKinney. Those cities' declarations, orders,
and ordinances also affect the operations of restaurants, bars, and food courts, in their
jurisdiction and may require the closing of seating areas. Please consult your municipality for
further information.
- If I call the Communications Center (Dispatch) at the Sheriff's Office and ask a
public-health question, will I be referred to another number or source of
information?
Yes. The Communications Center (Dispatch) answers and dispatches
emergency 9-1-1 calls and other calls.
If you call with a public-health question, the call-taker will refer
you to the Collin County Public Health Department's number, 972.548.5500.
Also, a person can go directly to the Public Health Department's site
for more information on the coronavirus:
A separate FAQ and a live-chat feed are available on the webpage.
Warrants
and Records in the Sheriff's Office
-
What methods of delivery are acceptable for agencies to send their warrants?
In an Order of the County Judge (Mar. 20, 2020), County Judge
Chris Hill closed all county government buildings for unscheduled, in-person visits during the
time of the state of disaster and public-health emergency for Collin County. Thus, the bonds
window in the Sheriff's Office will be closed during the emergency.
Link:
Declaration of Local Disaster for Public Health Emergency
Any agency can email a warrant to:
recordswarrants@co.collin.tx.us
Any agency can fax a warrant to 972.547.5304.
Please call to confirm receipt for either method: 972.547.5133.
-
Where do I send my verification-of-incarceration affidavit to obtain a discharge of
liability?
Please send the standard paperwork for a release of liability, CCP
art. 17.16—the same paperwork that you would bring to the window in the Sheriff's Office—to
recordswarrants@co.collin.tx.us.
For questions or assistance, please call 972.547.5133.
Public Information Act Requests
-
Where do I send my request to obtain records under the Public Information Act?
Send your completed
form
to
ccsoopenrecords@co.collin.tx.us.
You must fill out the form's top portion with all of your contact
information in case we need clarification about your request.
To try to reduce delay during the emergency, the Sheriff's Office will
waive fees for requests of $20 and less. If the fee for your request is over $20, then the
Sheriff's Office will notify you at the email address you provide in the form and provide you
with instructions for payment.
The Sheriff's Office will email you responsive documents to the email
address you provide on the form or mail them to the physical address you provide on the form.
Longer response times may apply during the emergency. Link:
Texas
Attorney General - Update: Calculation of Business Days and COVID-19
For more information on various items normally obtained at the front
window please visit:
The Sherriff Open Records
page or call 972.547.5100.
