MONROE — Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud is asking residents to be aware of and on the lookout for U.S. Census Bureau employees who are currently address canvassing households in the rural Monroe area for the 2020 census. 

Skatrud said his office received a couple of calls from residents about the workers visiting homes, which promoted them to check into it. There were no reports of Census Bureau workers entering homes. 

The Green County Sheriff’s Office posted the following on social media after reaching out to the Census Bureau:

Census employees will be going to properties confirming addresses and may walk around the house to confirm there is not a second address/apartment. After they confirm the address, a census form will be sent out.

“We felt the need to educate the public,” Skatrud said.

The post also includes information on how to identify that the person is, in fact, a Census Bureau employee. 

According to census.gov, employees will introduce themselves as a Census Bureau employee, show their official government ID badge that includes a photograph of them, a Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date. They should explain the purpose of their visit. They may be carrying a Census Bureau phone or laptop as well as a bag with a Census Bureau logo. People may also ask them for a picture ID from another source to confirm their identity. 

The website also makes clear that workers will never ask for certain information, like a social security number, bank account or credit card numbers.

Census Bureau employees shouldn’t be deviating outside of their scope of employment, such as looking into windows, or they could be terminated, Skatrud said.

According to census.gov, in the month of August, tens of thousands of Census Bureau workers began knocking on doors across the country to make sure the bureau has a complete list of addresses of where people live in the U.S.

If something seems out of the ordinary, Skatrud is encouraging residents to call 911 or the Green County dispatch general line at 608-328-9400 to report any suspicious activity. He said that although residents shouldn’t be alarmed, he encourages them to be cautious of anyone’s behavior on their property.

“Remain vigilant,” Skatrud said. “Chances are they’re census workers — but there are always people who may take advantage.”

The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census of the population be conducted once every 10 years, according to the bureau’s website. Census data is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in Congress and how federal funds are distributed back to states and local communities each year for services and infrastructure, including health care, jobs, schools, roads and businesses.

For more information on address canvassing, visit the Census Bureau website at census.gov. Those who still have questions should call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative.