Public defenders in Washington County say they've been locked out of the county jail for weeks, unable to meet with clients who include Beaverton residents awaiting trial.

Since just before the Fourth of July, attorneys arriving at the Washington County Jail have found signs posted at the entrance telling them visits are not allowed, according to a Fox 12 Oregon report published July 25.

On some days, the jail has shut down all social and professional visits entirely. On others, only certain housing units are open, limiting which inmates attorneys can reach.

The cause: a staffing shortage among jail deputies.

"It's gotten worse," public defender Toni Gonzalez told Fox 12. She said defenders initially expected the restrictions to ease after the holiday weekend. They didn't.

The consequences are concrete. Gonzalez said attorneys use in-person visits to help clients sign paperwork, locate bail money, and arrange for family members to sign them out.

Without that access, people are sitting in jail longer than necessary. When staff is limited, inmates must be brought to a central visiting area, creating long lines that eat into the already-reduced time attorneys have with their clients.

The shortage is also affecting daily life inside the jail. Gonzalez told Fox 12 that some inmates have been unable to get out-time for showers, phone calls, or lobby access to contact family.

Gabe Walsh, a Washington County public defender with more than five years of experience, called the situation the worst restricted visitation he has seen. "I don't have the recipe to solve their problem, but my message is that you've got a problem … with staffing and maybe hire a consultant or please get it figured out," Walsh told Fox 12.

Washington County Sheriff Caprice Massey acknowledged in a statement to Fox 12 that staffing complications are impacting both social and professional visits.

She said the Sheriff's Office has 17 recruits in training, though she gave no timeline for when they would be deployed to the jail.

Massey said the office is working to educate attorneys about meeting with clients online as an interim alternative and is collaborating with the defense bar and the Washington County Director of Metropolitan Public Defender on solutions.

The Washington County Jail serves as the primary pretrial detention facility for the county, which includes Beaverton. Residents arrested in Beaverton are typically booked there.

No public timeline has been announced for resolving the staffing crisis.

Residents with questions about jail visitation can contact the Washington County Sheriff's Office Jail Division at 503-846-2600.