Policing in a pandemic
Niagara Regional Police dealing with a new, hidden danger
NOTE TO READERS: As the community grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are those who keep other people safe and keep essential services running, including doctors and nurses, grocery store clerks and garbage collectors. These are their stories from the front line of Niagara's battle with the novel coronavirus.
The calls keep coming in. We may be in a once-in-a-century pandemic, but that much hasn’t changed for the Niagara Regional Police.
But now there is a new enemy out there and hidden from view — the COVID-19 virus.
“Policing, in general, is a risky business,” said Niagara Regional Police Insp. Mario Lagrotteria. “We deal daily with concerns that pose a danger to our health. The pandemic is another challenge.”
Lagrotteria said, for the most part, day-to-day operations have not changed. Police have adjusted some procedures to protect their most valuable resource, the men and women who wear the badge.
“When we get new information, we make immediate adjustments — and that is ongoing daily,” said Lagrotteria, a duty officer responsible for monitoring calls, making sure proper resources are deployed.
He also attends the scene when a high-risk or high-profile incident is underway.
“We are working closely with Niagara Region Public Health, and our emergency service partners like Niagara EMS (Emergency Medical Services), and that’s so we have a co-ordinated approach. That can help put our members at ease.”
The adjustments included closing smaller police detachments to the public in Port Colborne, Grimsby and Fort Erie. Front desks in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland are open — but limited to emergencies. NRP support staffers who can work from home remotely are doing so, Lagrotteria said.
Police have been asking the public to use online services where possible if they need documents for background checks.
“When we get a call that isn’t an emergency, we are encouraging our officers to use the phone where possible,” said Lagrotteria.
“We have also staggered our shifts to limit some of the interactions between our people.”
The NRP and the union, Niagara Region Police Association,
have agreed to curtail use of two-person cruisers (something covered in the collective agreement) — unless there is an emergency, or a coach officer is training a new officer.
“We have some new risks to which we have to pay attention,” said Lagrotteria, who was born and raised in St. Catharines. “Putting COVID-19 aside for a second, our officers are aware of — and deal with — communicable diseases every single day. COVID-19 is more prevalent, and we need to be even more aware and use our personal protective equipment.”
Cliff Priest is the president of the police association, which represents more than 1,000 uniform and civilian employees. He said COVID-19 hasn’t changed the role of police in the community.
“We are out there every day protecting the public,” Priest said. “Every call is an unknown. Someone could have a knife, or a gun — or a disease.”
Lagrotteria said the NRP’s call-takers are asking screening questions pertaining to a possible infection so an officer can take precautionary measures. The more information, the better. “Some of the people we deal with on a day-to-day basis will be positive for COVID-19, but if we are wearing our personal protective equipment, we won’t be in a position to be exposed,” he said.
There hasn’t been a significant reduction in calls for service since the pandemic was declared. The nature of calls have changed, Priest said.
There are fewer impaired driving calls, and collisions are down. With many people staying at or working from home, residential break and enters are down. With businesses closed, commercial break and enters are up. Reports of domestic disputes are also on the rise.
“Unfortunately, we have a lot of mental health and addiction calls,” Priest said. “There are times when policing requires very close contact, and one case of COVID-19 could conceivably take out a whole platoon. It’s a challenging time for my members.”
Lagrotteria said he isn’t sure what the future holds once the pandemic passes. There will likely be some long-term changes in the wake of the virus — though he won’t speculate on what they will be. “Life will return to normal, and there will probably be a new normal in some areas,” Lagrotteria said. “I will be glad when it is over.”