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Yet COVID-19 has forced us to make changes in how we operate, changes that are helping us to “flatten the curve� and slow the spread of this virus. The mayor’s and governor’s actions to close places where people gather will be critical to buying our community the time we need to avoid overwhelming our hospitals.

Most of the measures we’re taking as a department, such as regularly disinfecting our patrol vehicles, equipment and work areas, are changes the public likely won’t even be aware of.

But some measures will affect how people interact with the department. For example, police stations and facilities are closed to the public until further notice. Crimes can still be reported by phone or through online reporting. Records can still be requested by mail or email. But our lobbies and waiting areas are off-limits for the time being.

People should continue to call 911 for emergencies — when someone is in danger, a crime is in progress, or a crime just happened. Call the police non-emergency line, 520-791-4444, for lower priority matters, such as parking complaints, less urgent check welfare situations, or abandoned vehicles that aren’t blocking the roadway. You can also report some non-emergencies, such as property crimes not in progress (other than burglaries) or ongoing threats or harassment, online at .

If you’re unsure whether something is an emergency or not, call 911, and answer the call taker’s questions. Your call will be assigned to a category based on our internal system, from Level 1 to Level 4. All calls are important to us, but during this crisis, we have to be smart about which calls need an officer to respond in person or whether a phone call might be just as effective.

Until we have medications or a vaccine, social distancing is the best weapon we have against the COVID-19 virus. For our department, and for police departments throughout the country, that means engaging in person when needed, but doing more work over the phone.

This in no way affects our ability to hold bad actors accountable. Our officers and detectives are very good at what they do. People who need to be cited or arrested will continue to be dealt with appropriately. But people with substance abuse or mental health issues who’ve committed a nonviolent offense are likely to be cited and released, with court dates later in the year. Why? Because we have to reserve jail space for people who endanger the community, leaving capacity to isolate inmates who may become infected.

We also anticipate doing more checks on vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, refugees, and the mentally ill, who may need supportive services. You will also see us checking on those working in grocery stores and helping to educate people about the importance of social distancing.

Police officers signed up to do a dangerous job. They spend a great deal of time training on how to be safe and keep others safe in dangerous situations. This virus is a different sort of danger than what we’re used to, but the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department is approaching it as we do other challenges, using evidence and best practices to inform our strategies.

Our department has personal protective equipment (PPE) for officers to use if they encounter someone exhibiting symptoms, and we’re working to obtain more. To date, we’ve received additional PPE that’s been donated by the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ community—for which we’re very grateful.

We appreciate your understanding of these temporary changes. The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Police Department is here for you. You can best help us — and our heroic health-care providers — by staying home as much as possible as we work together to get through this challenging time.