Virus means changes for law enforcement
Visitor screenings, jail limits on tap
Central Arkansas law enforcement agencies announced changes to protocol for their forces and buildings Tuesday in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Visitors to Little Rock and Benton police buildings must undergo screening before entering the buildings. Conway police and the Pulaski County jail have cut off access entirely.
Anyone visiting Little Rock Police Department buildings will be screened to verify that they have not visited China, Iran, Europe or South Korea in the past two weeks, have not been in contact with someone who has had or is suspected of having covid-19 and have not had symptoms of a respiratory infection or fever.
Additionally, Little Rock officers will not respond to several types of non-emergency incidents, according to a news release from spokesman, Lt. Michael Ford.
“In an effort to maintain the safety of our residents and slow the spread of covid-19 by keeping with social distancing, the Little Rock Police Department has implemented a change in how we handle non-emergency reports,” the release said.
Officers will now no longer respond to single or
delayed incidents of auto breaking or entering, financial identity theft, non-injury hit-and-runs, terroristic threatening and vandalism.
The Pulaski County sheriff’s office will now screen deputies, staff members and outside law enforcement officers who are transporting detainees into the jail for flulike symptoms, in addition to added daily screening of inmates last week, according to Sheriff Eric Higgins.
The Pulaski County jail announced Thursday that it would be screening detainees for signs of the virus. Sheriff Eric Higgins said the jail staff is now taking all inmates’ temperatures daily.
“Since March 13 … 1,470 temperatures have been taken,” Higgins said. “Because not only are we taking the temperatures of those entering the facility and leaving the facility, it’s been recommended … that we take the temperature of those housed in our facility every day.”
The Pulaski County jail banned in-person visitation last week, with plans to replace that with video visitation.
“And for the past several months we’ve been working on having video visitation in the facility,” Higgins said. “We expedited that, and video visitation is operational in the facility except for two units.”
Higgins said loved ones of inmates will be given 30 minutes of free video visitation because of the special circumstances.
Nine employees of the sheriff’s office are self-quarantined either because of recent trips or secondhand contact with covid-19, according to Higgins.
“We’ve asked them to not come to work to avoid any exposure here in the organization or in the detention facility,” Higgins said.
Higgins said deputies will continue to respond to emergencies.
“As businesses are closing or reducing their time, we’re still here serving the community,” Higgins said. “We’re still here responding to calls for services.”
The Conway Police Department will be closing its lobby, prescription drug take-back location and pre-employment fingerprinting service, according to a Conway Police Facebook post.
“Public safety continues to be our number one priority and we will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to provide the best possible service and response within our community,” the post said.
Visitors to Benton City Hall and Police Department will now be screened in the lobby, according to a Benton Police Department tweet.
Only the main entrance will be unlocked, and all visitors will be asked if they have had fevers, symptoms of respiratory illness, traveled to another country in the past two weeks and had direct contact with someone with covid-19.
Arkansas State Police announced that it will be temporarily changing driver’s license testing because of building closures of other agencies around the state, according to an Arkansas State Police news release.
Starting Wednesday, all knowledge testing for driver’s licences in the state will be limited to Arkansas State Police troop headquarters, the release said.
North Little Rock Police spokeswoman Amy Cooper said that while the department is not making any changes to building access, it will continue to monitor the situation.