‘Criminal activity has not stopped’ with COVID-19. Here’s how local cops are responding
The COVID-19 outbreak has brought life to a screeching halt.
One activity that’s been undeterred, according to Pierce County Sheriff spokesperson Ed Troyer, is crime.
It’s still happening, Troyer said, even amid a pandemic.
“Criminal activity has not stopped. You’re just not hearing about it,” Troyer said Tuesday.
The good news?
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department is still on the job, like police police departments across the area.
“One of things we want people to understand is we’re still there for them. They can feel safe,” Troyer said.
For departments big and small, the spread of novel coronavirus has necessitated a host of new safety precautions and protocol shifts.
From Puyallup to Tacoma and Lakewood, law enforcement agencies told The News Tribune they’re reacting to the realities of an unprecedented pandemic just like everywhere else.
Personal protective gear? Social distancing? Plenty of disinfectant?
All of the above and then some, local cops said.
Given the circumstances, Tacoma police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said, her agency’s morale is “pretty high.”
Like everyone, Tacoma cops are worried and contending with closed schools and potential childcare issues, but “you just adapt and overcome,” Haddow said.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Haddow said, Tacoma police substations have been closed to the public, though they’re still being staffed by law enforcement officers. The lobby at headquarters remains open, Haddow said Tuesday.
Along with standard precautions — like hand washing, the use of hand sanitizer and gloves — Haddow said officers are regularly disinfecting the back of patrol cars, as they would in any potential biohazard situation.
Volunteer programs, ride-alongs and department tours have been canceled, Haddow said.
Haddow also noted the Police Department has a “continuity of operations plan” in place — which is standard — and “all non-uniformed commissioned staff know they are to be prepared in case they are needed to backfill due to staffing shortages.”
Unlike other areas of the country, Haddow said, so far no Tacoma officers have fallen ill or been exposed to coronavirus.
911 calls being screened
One important change, according to local law enforcement agencies, originates at South Sound 911 — the government agency that answers more than 2,600 emergency calls a day and dispatches officers throughout the area.
In response to the spread of coronavirus, all calls are being screened in hopes of identifying the ill or anyone displaying symptoms of COVID-19, Troyer said.
“When possible, citizens are being asked to step outside to speak with officers,” Haddow said.
Additionally, Haddow said, the department is handling as many interactions by phone as possible, with the guidance of supervisors.
“The department is minimizing in-person contacts out of care for public health and our staff,” Haddow explained.
Lakewood has similar precautions in place, according to assistant police chief John Unfred.
Lakewood police officers, Unfred said, have been asked “to keep a 6-foot distance when dealing with the public if possible.”
Unfred also told The News Tribune that “very limited amounts of covid personal protective equipment” has been distributed to “uniformed officers only.”
Like Tacoma, Unfred said, no staff shortages have occurred as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, though the agency is proactively “working on contingency plans for staffing shortages and other issues to ensure we can continue to provide service.”
“As you can imagine, it’s a fairly fluid situation at this time,” Unfred said Monday, noting that previous pandemic planning at the department has been useful.
“We know that we have to have officers out there doing our work, without fail,” Unfred said.
In Puyallup, according to police spokesperson Dan Pashon, the situation is similar.
There, the department of roughly 70 cops has been following Centers for Disease Control guidelines and best practices, he said.
The lobby at Puyallup police headquarters has been closed, Pashon noted, and only essential staff are working from the building. Civilians and command staff are working from home.
Pashon said Puyallup officers have been equipped with “face shields, masks, gowns and gloves” and are “suiting up when necessary.”
One precaution that appears to be unique to Puyallup police is mandatory temperature checks for officers, which began Monday, Pashon said.
Before clocking on, Pashon said, officers have their temperatures taken by a sergeant. If the reading is above 100, they’re sent home.
So far, Pashon said, no officers have been removed from duty as a result of the temperature checks, and the agency has experienced no staff shortages as a result of COVID-19.
“When you take a look at what law enforcement deals with every day, we’ve dealt with all sorts of challenges,” Pashon said, describing Puyallup’s police force as “pretty well prepared.”
“I wont say it’s not taking a toll, but cops are a very different breed,” Pashon said. “There’s definitely concern, but they’re still getting it done.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
