Abingdon Police Department- COVID-19 Closing Advisory

Abingdon Police Department

                                               

For Immediate Release

The Abingdon Police Department remains fully operational, staffed, and ready to respond to the needs of our community. Our officers will continue to respond to all emergencies, in-progress calls, and other priority responses.

However, based on the COVID-19 epidemic, and by following protocols and recommendations currently in place by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH); we will be making the following adjustments to limit exposure and the spread of COVID-19 within our department and community.

·       When calling 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number (276-676-6277) please provide a call back number whenever possible.

·       If you or someone in your home is sick, we ask that you provide this information to the dispatcher. Officers may contact you via telephone before arrival to assess the need for an in-person response.

·       For minor reports, officers will likely complete the report without personal interaction.

·       If you summons the police to your home, be prepared to step outside and meet with the officer in an open environment. This consistent with recommended social distancing to curb the spread of this illness.

·       Our Police Department lobby will be closed to the public until March 27, 2020. In association with closing the lobby, the following procedural changes are now in place:

o   Fingerprinting service is suspended until our lobby re-opens.

o   Crash reports can be requested by your insurance company by telephone or by mail.   

o   Walk-in complaints will not be accommodated until further notice. Should you visit our office and need an officer, use the call box on the east and south sides of the building to contact one. 

Please be judicious in your use of 9-1-1. This number is for emergencies only. Our dispatchers are superheroes, but they are not superhuman. Make sure that if you do not have an emergency, that you are calling the non-emergency number, 276-676-6277.

If you have a question about COVID-19, please call the Virginia Department of Health, 877-ASK-VDH3 (877-275-8343).

This is a difficult time for all of us. We are living through a historic event. Be sure to check on each other; especially the elderly. Run errands for those who should not be out, share resources, and show kindness.  We are all in this together, and we will get through this as a community, region, state, and country. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this challenging time.