Life is going to be getting back to normal at the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office in French Camp.

Well – somewhat normal.

On Monday, the facility on Michael Canlis Boulevard off of Matthews Road began admitting the public into the lobby of the facility for the first time in weeks – albeit with some modifications to protect the health of the public and the employees that staff the facility.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday the lobby of the building will be open to the public permitted the visitor undergoes a no-contact thermal temperature scan before entering the facility and is wearing a mask that covers the face and the mouth.

But not everything is going to be operating at full capacity.

Those who are showing up in order to turn themselves in for a “book and release” or for a court-ordered commitment that was scheduled between the March closure date and May 22 will need to contact the office to reschedule for a later date – by either emailing sjsojail@sjgov.org or by calling 209.468.4384 and notifying officials of your name, date of birth, court case number and date you were originally scheduled to appear. Those that do not do that will have a “failure to appear” warrant issued through the courts.

Jail visitation will remain closed until further notice as a way of protecting the inmates and the staff that guard the facility. Civil processes will be limited to family law matters, restraining orders and acceptance of proof of service from registered process servers.

The decision to reopen the facility in French Camp means that for the first time in more than a month the City of Lathrop will have a facility that residents can visit if they have issues pertaining to law enforcement or issues in the community. Because of a rent dispute the city opted not to renew its lease on the building on 7th Street that has housed Lathrop Police Services since it moved from its home near Simplot, and work on the new, state-of-the-art facility inn River Islands is ongoing. Lathrop residents can still contact Lathrop Police Services at 209.858.5551 during normal business hours. Because the city receives its police services through a contract with the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the decision was made to move the city’s police officers back to the facility in French Camp until they can permanently relocate into the new building located within eyesight of the Bradshaw’s Crossing bridge over the San Joaquin River in River Islands.

For additional information about the processes involved with visiting the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office in French Camp, visit the agency’s website at www.sjgov.org/sheriff.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.