NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- The Tennessee Sheriff’s Association has pushed back against the State Supreme Court’s efforts to fight COVID-19 by releasing non-violent county jail inmates.
The state high court recently ordered judges statewide to submit written plans to reduce jail populations.
But in an undated letter, leading sheriffs say "The safety of our citizens is our number one priority and we will not be releasing any inmate unless time is served, it’s court ordered, or bond is made.”
Davidson County’s Criminal Court Judges also pushed back against efforts to release inmates. The judges this week rejected a pandemic response plan to release some inmates advocated by the Public Defender, Prosecutor and County Sheriff.
