INDIANAPOLIS — 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. 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.
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.
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.