Officials with the San Angelo Police Department have been closely monitoring health officials in response to the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19). At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be.
Given this uncertainty, and the fact that the seasonal influenza (flu) virus is also widespread, civilian and sworn members of the San Angelo Police Department are taking proactive steps to address a number of concerns. Police Chief Frank Carter has enacted a comprehensive plan that will help reduce the unnecessary risk of exposure to our employees as well as the citizens we serve.
We are diligently working to maintain a safe workplace and encourage practices protecting the health of our employees, customers, and visitors to Police Headquarters and the SAPD satellite offices located at the City Hall Annex. Common areas that are open to the public are being routinely disinfected under standard infectious disease protocol. We also want to ensure the continuity of business operations during what the World Health Organization has declared to be a pandemic. At present time, the Department’s Records Section, Evidence and Property Release Unit, Alarm Services, and Administrative Offices are still functioning as normal.
In addition to the aggressive sanitation efforts, all Department non-essential out of town travel has been canceled until further notice.
Furthermore, in an effort to reduce the risk of unnecessary exposure to our officers and citizens, effective immediately, the Department’s Online Reporting feature will become mandatory for certain crimes until further notice. They are as follows; theft, simple assault, garage burglary, criminal mischief/vandalism, harassment, lost property (firearms excluded), identity theft, and debit card/credit card abuse. Please visit http://www.sanangelopolice.org/coplogic for a detailed list of instructions as well as a list of crimes that are not reportable online.
The San Angelo Police Department must maintain a healthy, functioning workforce to be able to respond to priority calls and emergency situations. Therefore, based on the information provided by health officials, these steps have been taken to mitigate the risk of illness to our employees and citizens.
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