Lodi PD screens emergency calls, limits lobby access

LODI — With the front desks of city and county offices closing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, local law enforcement agencies are taking similar precautions.

The Lodi Police Department on Wednesday announced it would be restricting access to its main lobby and property lobby, both located at 215 W. Elm St., until further notice.

Capt. David Griffin on Thursday said the lobby isn’t completely closed to the public, but officers on duty will be evaluating visitors’ requests for access at the front doors.

“When you come to the department, you’ll have to use the buzzer at the right of the front doors and speak with an officer,” he said. “Depending on what people need, they may be told to call a particular officer or be allowed inside.”

Those who want copies of police reports must call the department’s records division at 209-333-6731 for instructions about how to obtain copies by mail.

In order to obtain property, residents are asked to call 209-333-6800, ext. 2513 to make an appointment.

Griffin said the department is also taking precautions to make sure officers on patrol are protected as they encounter members of the community, through screened calls and extra protections in the field.

“What we’re doing is having our dispatchers ask people if an officer can call them back directly before they are sent out,” he said. “If they don’t want that, or if they need assistance immediately, then we’ll send an officer out there.”

While on patrol, officers are carrying hand sanitizers with them at all times, and are placing hoods on people they have to detain or arrest in order to ensure minimal possible transmission of germs, he said.

“Our officers are coming into contact with so many people during the day, and we’re trying to limit exposure not only to them, but to the people they encounter as well,” Griffin said. “We have to have people (at the department). If one of us gets sick, it’s going to be difficult if we all start experiencing symptoms.”

Unlike some firefighterparamedics in other areas of San Joaquin County, Griffin said Lodi officers will not be wearing masks when engaging with the public.

He said masks are typically for one-time use only, and the department has a limited supply on hand. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control is recommending that only those who are infected with coronavirus should be wearing the masks to prevent possible spread.

Griffin said the department is trying to follow those CDC guidelines as closely as possible.

“We’re just trying to make long-term plans if (the pandemic) becomes worse,” he said.

San Joaquin County Sheriff Pat Withrow said through his monthly address on social media that there are no cases of COVID-19 being reported at his office in French Camp. However, he noted his office had not yet received testing kits in order to test employees as of Monday.

At the San Joaquin County Jail, he said nurses are on hand in the prebooking area, taking temperatures and asking arrestees about any symptoms they may have. Anyone with cold or flu symptoms is jailed away from the rest of the population, he said.

While the Sacramento County Sheriff has announced a plan to release some low-level inmates from jail to prevent the spread of the virus to those in custody, Withrow said he has no immediate plans to do that in French Camp.

“You hear talk of programs to release inmates, but in here, they’re away from people who might have the virus,” he said. “They have the appropriate medical attention here. They’re actually, I believe, much safer in here.”

Withrow said visits to the honor farm have been suspended, but inmates held at that facility can send an unlimited number of letters to loved ones to keep in contact.

At the main jail, he said contact visits have been canceled, and inmates can be contacted through the glass barriers and phones provided inside.

While the county is not enforcing a shelter in place or lockdown, Withrow said more deputies will be deployed onto the streets.

“With schools being canceled, that means school resource officers will be able to be transferred to patrol,” he said. “And with the courts reducing activities and other events in the county being rescheduled or canceled, we’re actually going to have lot more people on patrol.”