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Despite orders for people to have less contact with each other in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, local law enforcement leaders don't anticipate a drop in calls for service from the public.
"I expect our calls for service to increase over the next couple of weeks," Moniteau County Sheriff Tony Wheatley said. "I am expecting increases in disturbance calls, domestic violence calls and theft. We already run 24-hour coverage and have not put on any additional deputies as of yet."
Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism doesn't believe they'll see a decrease or increase in calls directly related to COVID-19.
"We normally see an uptick in March and April for calls for service due to the warming spring weather," Chism said. "It's important to note that our law enforcement efforts have not been altered due to the COVID-19 situation."
"Although our figures reflect a slight reduction in calls for service for March 2020 in comparison to March 2019, the results only serve as anecdotal information and do not, by virtue of the current situation, reflect any credible statistical analysis," Jefferson City Police Chief Roger Schroeder said. "Many fluid variables contribute to the level of calls for service, as one moves through a calendar year."
Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham said they are working "business as usual" but have taken some precautions.
"All our employees will limit direct contact with other employees and citizens as much as possible, remembering the definition of 'limited direct contact' as staying 6 feet away and only for up to 20 minutes," Bonham said.
Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler said his staff is also conducting day-to-day operations as they normally would.
"We're doing five basic things in light of COVID-19: use social distancing, when possible; make use of phones as much as possible; decontaminating ourselves and equipment more often with hand disinfectant and disinfectant wipes; when responding to a call, encourage people to meet us outside of the residence if possible; and utilizing personal protective equipment when necessary."
Since schools are not in session, Schroeder said, JCPD has reassigned school resource officers to other duties.
"Those officers are kept busy assisting the detective section, our patrol section, our community action team and the traffic unit," Schroeder said.
"My SROs will be used where they are needed, and I have also obligated them to be utilized by our emergency management director if the need arises," Wheatley said.
"All three of our SROs have been temporarily assigned to the patrol division," Chism said of Callaway County's deputies. "With the courts going into limited function for the next several weeks, there is a possibility a deputy normally assigned to document process will also assist the patrol division."
Bonham said he has told his staff in Osage County to be aware of which calls for service they can handle on the phone and which ones they should physically respond to.
"I've also told them to limit the number of deputies at a call for service," Bonham said. "This limits our exposure. I also want them to consider taking information from driver's, such as off their license, by writing it down instead of taking the license itself and their insurance cards."
"Our biggest challenge so far is making sure that our deputies and first responders have what they need to continue to operate," Wheatley said. "The issue is we really don't know what all we will need depending on how this plays out. Right now we are making plans to secure a location that first responders can go to if they need to self-quarantine if exposed. We are trying to give them this option so if they are exposed on a call for service then they will have the option to self-quarantine away from their family."
Bonham said they have eliminated all visits and meetings and their command staff will work in the sheriff's office on a rotating basis in an effort to eliminate the possibility all staff members are quarantined at the same time due to a work-related exposure to COVID-19.
"I'm telling my staff to be reasonable in the actions they take during this time and use common sense," Bonham said.
"I believe it's paramount to make comprehensive decisions as, frankly, panic or knee-jerk reactions usually don't fare well in the end," Chism said. "While the COVID-19 situation has the possibility of creating some unforeseen challenges, I am confident my staff will overcome those challenges and ensure the safety of our community."
"Law enforcement personnel are present for what might happen," Schroeder added. "Even if calls for service diminish at a considerable level, we must staff for the possibility of a critical incident occurring and ensure our ability to effectively respond. There also exists the fact that our presence deters crime and victimization, as well as the harm incurred from traffic crashes, so we have no plans to reduce our presence in the community."
"We are receiving calls on a daily basis about if we are going to ticket citizens for leaving their homes and the answer is simply, 'no,'" Bonham said. "We also won't close down the highways. We are not sure how long this crisis will go on, but we are all going to have some patience."