JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office confirmed with First Coast News on Wednesday that masks are mandatory for inmates and employees working in any of its correctional facilities.
A spokesperson for JSO said the requirement does not have to do with the city's mask mandate. JSO said the decision was made for Department of Corrections employees on June 19 and that masks had been optional before then.
Officers patrolling the street are not required to wear masks but are encouraged to do so if they cannot social distance or on a call that exposes them to COVID-19.
Masks became mandatory for inmates on June 22, the day the Florida Department of Health began testing inmates for coronavirus. The FDOH has provided inmates with two masks each and will supply more if needed, according to JSO.