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1 <br /> <br />Orono Police Department <br />Memo <br />To: City Administrator Dustin Rief <br />From: Police Chief Correy Farniok <br />Date April 8, 2020 <br />Re: COVID Update – Police Department <br /> <br /> <br />As of the date of this memo, the state of MN is doing very well with the spread of COVID 19 <br />and with flattening the curve. The police department continues to get multiple calls daily on <br />potential violations of social distancing and gathering prohibited in the Emergency Orders <br />issued by the Governor. We are encouraging and educating people reference the “Stay at <br />home” orders. We are also advising people not to call 9-1-1 with individuals that may be in <br />violation. Dispatchers at times are overwhelmed with these type of calls and want to keep <br />lines available for emergency calls. <br /> <br />Overall the calls for service and traffic stops are down for our department and throughout <br />Hennepin County. We are seeing our domestics, mental health, and suspicious activity calls <br />are on a slight increase. In the past week we have seen impaired drivers also increase. In the <br />last 3 days (Sunday-Tuesday) we had three arrested for suspicion of impaired driving one at <br />.35 BAC, .25 BAC and heroin (waiting for results of blood test). <br /> <br />People throughout our community and MN are to shelter in place per the Governors <br />Emergency Executive Order # 20-20 and are encouraged to work from home when possible. <br />Office staff are working 10 hour shifts and one day from home, so both are not working <br />together every day. Our Office Manager is working from home and coming in after normal <br />hours and on weekends to reduce the risk. Police officers and other first responders do not <br />have the option to work from home. In attempt to slow the possible spread, we have adjusted <br />schedules of some of the police officers to eliminate cross contamination between shifts. <br />Patrol are all on 12 hours shifts. Investigators hours have been adjusted to 10 hour shifts. <br /> <br />Orono police officers continue to respond to calls for assistance and many times are going into <br />homes, facilities that may have COVID 19. Officers and other first responders have not dealt <br />with a pandemic at this level. Officers by nature are on the frontline ready answer calls in the <br />community and risk their life and safety in order to respond to the needs and protect the <br />community. However, we didn’t ever think that going home from work could put our family’s