Coronavirus East Haven: How Police Will Police During A Pandemic

EAST HAVEN, CT — In uncharted waters, everyone is figuring out to how to navigate scary seas. Law enforcement is no different.

In fact, it's not only likely that policing will change dramatically given the coronavirus pandemic, but is already in progress.

East Haven Police Chief Ed Lennon and head of administration and training and public information officer Lt. Joseph Murgo tackled questions from Patch about how the department is preparing, and changing, the way it polices and helps the community.

During an unprecedented pandemic, does this event fundamentally change how police departments police?

"In an effort to minimize officer exposure we have made some procedural changes in the way we are handling routine calls for service. We are urging residents reporting incidents in which only documentation is needed or in cases where there is no suspect or it is extremely unlikely to be solvable to use our online reporting portal.

We are requesting that residents utilize our online reporting system if:

• The event took place in East Haven
• The suspects are not known to you
• The suspects have left the scene
• You have not suffered any injuries
• There is no apparent need for investigation at the scene, to include video surveillance recordings.
• There is no obvious physical evidence available at the scene.
• There are no witnesses to be interviewed.

We are currently holding all roll calls outside, weather permitting. We are also using modern technology to our benefit and have implemented Video Conferencing as a way to virtually meet as a department.

How is EHPD limiting up-close interactions with the public?

"We have begun to prioritize the calls for service that require face to face interaction with our officers. In cases that do not need an immediate physical response to the scene, officers are making contact with complainants over the phone.

It’s important to note that we are still responding to emergencies, domestic violence incidents and any other calls for service that involve the act or a threat of any type of violence. Nothing has changed in those instances."

How will EHPD deal with policing if officers become ill?

"We are encouraging officers to stay home if they are experiencing any symptoms that could be related to COVID-19. In addition to that, we have minimized exposure amongst each other by limiting their time grouped together at police headquarters. We have a great working relationship with neighboring communities and have a plan in place should a large amount of officers become infected. Our other main priority is keeping our public safety dispatchers healthy. Their health and well-being is mission critical and if the virus sweeps through the Public Safety Dispatch Center many other things will be affected."

What is the most important message for the community about officer safety?

"We want everyone to understand that this is new to all of us and that we are all in this together. We ask for the public’s patience because we pride ourselves on community engagement, however we can’t meet that commitment at the level that we have in the past, in order to maintain social distances for our safety. We also want the public to know that our officers are to adhere to a new directive requiring them to wear Personal Protective Equipment when entering a residence, small business or any other enclosed area. We ask that residents do not become alarmed if they see us responding to a call for service in their neighborhood wearing protective equipment. If they see us entering a residence wearing a mask, it in no way indicates that the occupants are suffering from COVID-19."

Here's the East Haven Police Department website.

This is their Facebook page and here's their Instagram page.