INDIANAPOLIS – Today, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) announced new and ongoing steps aimed at mitigating officer exposure to COVID-19 and sustaining the workforce dedicated to keeping residents of Indianapolis safe. As part of these efforts, IMPD is closing district roll call lobbies and the Citizens Services Desk at the City-County Building, effective immediately. While lobbies will be closed to the public, roll calls will remain manned 24 hours a day. Residents can file some reports over the phone and access other non-emergency services by calling 317-327-3811.
“Our first priority remains protecting the citizens of Indianapolis. It is with this priority in mind that we made the difficult decision to close in-person access to the non-emergency services available at our districts and the Citizens Services Desk,” said IMPD Chief Randal Taylor. “Minimizing exposure for our employees and residents is the best way we can prevent the spread of COVID-19. We continue to be focused on protecting public safety and serving residents to the best of our ability – non-emergency services remain available remotely by calling 317-327-3811 or visiting indy.gov.”
IMPD is following the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), and the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) to protect and preserve the workforce and ensure officers remain healthy and available to protect public safety. Officers are continually encouraged to utilize the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), following best practices that recommend liberal use of gloves, frequent handwashing, and the use of respirator masks only on runs deemed high risk for exposure. When possible, dispatchers are screening residents for potential COVID-19 symptoms over the phone as they take calls for service.
IMPD has worked closely with Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (IEMS) to develop protocols for officers who encounter potential exposure to the virus. Possible quarantine will follow CDC guidelines. In addition to daily communication from IMPD leadership, all IMPD personnel are encouraged to monitor the ISDH and CDC websites for updated information and to help combat misinformation.
Over the last several weeks, IMPD has implemented a number of internal measures to protect the safety of officers and residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include:
- Suspending the ride-along program until June
- Suspending in-service training at the IMPD Training Academy
- Cancelling all non-essential travel
- Ensuring all officers have access to PPE
- Issuing hand sanitizer to employees
- Encouraging officers to practice social distancing on runs, when possible
Through the activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), IMPD has been in communication 24/7 with the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD), IEMS, MCPHD, and hospital partners. These direct partnerships ensure that all available updated information, policies, and procedures are communicated, discussed, and evaluated with recommended changes made as needed.
Residents seeking medical information related to COVID-19 are encouraged to visit the ISDH and MCPHD sites dedicated to the virus. A comprehensive hub for resources available to residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at indy.gov/covid.
