The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that it will allow county jail inmates to wear religious head coverings, the first law enforcement agency in the state of Minnesota that has developed such a policy.
If individuals aren’t a threat to safety and security, they can wear head coverings including but not limited to a yarmulke, hijab and kufi.
“This is an opportunity to be proactive rather than reactive,” said Sheriff Rich Stanek. “I am extremely proud of our current efforts to recognize the religious rights and beliefs of all inmates; the addition of this policy enhances our efforts to be more culturally aware.”
The new policy adheres to the constitutional and federal requirements of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. The policy came after discussions with the Council on American Islamic Relations and experts on religion and corrections.
Jail-issued religious head coverings are available upon intake for inmates arriving at the facility wearing a religious head covering. Procedures are in place for inmates who did not enter the facility wearing a religious head covering but wish to make a formal request. If the religious head covering is altered or used for anything other than its intended purpose, the inmate is subject to the loss of that privilege.
Historically, the sheriff’s office said it has accommodated religious head covering requests from inmates on a case-by-case basis. The jail currently accommodates inmates with specific religious needs such as adhering to religious dietary requirements, providing religious literature, and organizing religious leaders from a variety of different faiths who volunteer in the jail.
The new policy was announced Thursday afternoon at a news conference at the county jail.