Changes at Rabun Co. Sheriff’s Office due to COVID-19

Out of an abundance of caution, changes have been made at the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office.  The first big change is no visitors will be allowed in the office, explains Sheriff Chad Nichols.  “We have closed the doors at the Sheriff’s Office and we are asking anyone with a non-emergency to call 706-782-3612 and we are going to try to handle those non-emergency calls by phone.  If it is after 5pm, they can call non-emergency 911 number 706-782-6226 and ask to speak to a deputy. Of course, if it is an emergency call 911 and we will respond.” The Rabun County Detention Center has also suspended all public visitation with inmates until further notice, adds Sheriff Nichols.  “Last week we stopped in-person visitations. We were concerned about the crowds gathering in the lobby to come to see their loved ones. They can visit remotely with video visitation available. It is the same charge as if you were going to make a phone call and kind of the beauty of it is that visitation in-person here was 2 days a week but the video visitation you can do it any day of the week from 7am to 11pm.”  Visit www.inmatesales.com for further information.  Sheriff Nichols says that mail will no longer be delivered to inmates at the Rabun County Detention Center as well.  “No more mail will be taken into the Detention Center. We’ve been seeing alerts of postal workers having it and with all the hands that mail goes through.  But what one of our vendors did do at the jail, he set up so inmates can email twice a week for free. We will still take mail but it will have to be from a lawyer’s office, their actual attorney.”  No visitors are allowed at the courthouse either, continues Sheriff Nichols. “The courthouse has limited access as well. The deputies are at the front door screening people. A lot of the offices within the courthouse have locked their doors as well just to keep the traffic down.  So, just be patient there with the deputies at the door if you have business at the courthouse.” Sheriff Nichols hopes that once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides then everything will return to normal.