Federal Probation Office Issues Coronavirus Alert

People on federal parole or supervised release in Portland, Oregon received an email alert this afternoon directing them not to report to the United States Probation Office (USPO) in downtown Portland if they are sick. That email has since been confirmed by the an announcement posted on the USPO website for the District or Oregon.

The email received by people on probation and supervised release was brief. It came with the subject line "U.S. Probation Coronavirus Alert" and came with the following message:

Please do not respond to this message
Important message from US Probation Services, Oregon District

Coronavirus Alert If you or anyone at home is sick do not report to US Probation contact your PO immediately

That same basic message appeared on the USPO website which stated:

Measures to Reduce Coronavirus (COVID-19) Exposure
To reduce the chances of coronavirus exposure, please do not report in person to the US Probation Office if you or anyone in your household are ill with an elevated temperature, cough, or respiratory symptoms. If you are experiencing these symptoms, please contact your Probation Officer immediately to arrange alternative reporting accommodations such as telephone, electronic or video reporting. In the event you are unable to reach your supervision officer, please contact the Duty Officer.

This author is relieved that his personal internet ban and subsequent computer monitoring conditions were discontinued by the court. Otherwise Skyping with probation would not be an option not just because this author does not like webcams or use Skype. So, like people that can't use computers he would have had to limit his contact with probation to over the phone contact only. This author can only assume that people currently banned from computers did not get the email, cannot read the notice on the website, and will probably show up to probation thinking they have to report in person even if they are deathly ill. One can only imagine the look on the face of the receptionist at probation when a visibly infected person appears at the window and responds to questions about the email alert by telling them they are banned from computers.