SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois Sheriff's Association filed a lawsuit Thursday against Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections for refusing to accept transfers of parole violators or convicted criminals from jails across Illinois.
Gov. Pritzker suspended all admissions to IDOC facilities on March 26 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
IDOC leaders said they needed time to prepare and install intake procedures to help stop the spread of the virus from inmates transferred out of county jails.
Public Information Officer for IDOC released the following statement.
"The Illinois Department of Corrections remains focused on responding, mitigating and controlling COVID-19 to protect those who live and work in our facilities. Due to the pending litigation, no further comment can be provided."
The Illinois Sheriff's Association claims no preparations were made or implemented.
They said this left county sheriffs to bear the burden of protecting detainees and county-sentenced inmates from the virus and is creating an issue when space and inmate population are key to controlling the spread.
ISA said there are hundreds of people waiting to be transferred to IDOC sitting in jails.
The governor's office has not yet released a statement in response to the lawsuit.
