Salisbury Police taking steps to limit spread of coronavirus

SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury Police Department will begin taking additional steps to encourage social distancing and limit the spread of coronavirus.

Calls for service will be screened to determine if reports of certain crimes can be taken over the phone, starting today, March 18th. Officers will work with callers to determine whether an officer should respond to the scene of if the report can be taken over the phone. By taking these steps, officials hope to reduce community transition of the virus, and slow the spread of the virus, while continuing to meet the law enforcement needs of the community.

During the pandemic, communications officers will be asking a list of questions, including

• Do you have a fever?
• Do you have a cough?
• Are you short of breath?
• Have you been exposed to COVID-19?
• Have you been officially diagnosed with COVID-19?

Crimes such as but not limited to theft, fraud, identity theft, and malicious destruction of property may be taken over the phone and an incident report number will be provided to the caller. During this time, officers want to assure the community that they will continue to quickly respond to crimes of violence or when a victim is in harm’s way. By moving to a telephone reporting system, officials can direct essential services to where they are needed most.