To: All RPD Personnel

From: Chief Gary Manos

Date: March 30, 2020

Ref: Special Order 20-01, Patrol Functions and Potential Impact of COVID-19

1. Purpose The Ridgely Police Department will adhere to the below protocols with regard to patrol functions, security details, and operations during an outbreak of COVID-19.

2. Identified Functions Critical to Police Operations A. Police Response and Interactions

a. How to engage with potential sick citizens:

1) The Caroline County Communications Center (Dispatch) has a list of protocols that have been put in service when it is determined that first responders, law enforcement and staff, could come into contact with potential pandemic related sick individuals.

2) The officer on duty, with the assistance of the chief or sergeant, when necessary, will evaluate the call type and determine if the call will be left to medical first responders only or if a Ridgely Police Department officer will respond for security reasons.

3) If Ridgely Police Department members need to respond and confront any suspected infected citizens or household members, the below occupational distancing plan and protective measures will be used; Donning your PPE/N95 should be done first prior to making contact with the citizens.

4) When possible, limit the number of law enforcement personnel dealing with persons who may be infected.

5) When possible, contact all victims/witnesses/suspects outside of the premises/building in order to reduce the exposure of personnel and conserve equipment. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, it is recommended that a distance of six (6) feet from all subjects be maintained.

6) All Ridgely Police Officers should ask the following questions to persons they are dealing with on calls for service (in person):

1. Have you had any of the following symptoms in the last seven days: fever or chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, or any other flu-like symptoms?

2. In the past week, do you know if you have been in close (less than 6 feet), prolonged contact (more than 2-3 minutes) with someone with fever, cough, shortness of breath, flu-like symptoms, or a diagnosis of COVID-19?

3. If yes to any of the above, the officer will don their cloth PPE coveralls and N95 mask & gloves. Ensure your duty belt is on the exterior of your PPE.

7) PPE/N95 equipment used after a response described above will be decontaminated in accordance with the COVID-19 Response Guidelines. The officer will ensure that any usage of PPE/N95 equipment is documented in the remarks section of the CC Card and will promptly notify the Chief who will coordinate obtaining replacement PPE if needed.

B. Arrest/Book Procedures for those suspected of having or exposed to the COVID-19 virus. a. When making an arrest of a person confirmed having the COVID-19 virus, suspected to, or even in the same residence as a confirmed COVID-19 carrier, the following will be conducted;

1) If possible, prior to contact with the person, don your cloth PPE coveralls over your uniform, N95 mask, goggles, and nitrile gloves. Ensure your duty belt is placed over top your coveralls for ready access to your gear.

2) Place your issued “surgical mask/ dust mask” on the defendant as soon possible. (not your issued N95 with the valves).

3) Place your issued “spit hood” on the defendant’s head if combative.

4) Roll the window down a quarter of the way closest to the defendant seated in the patrol vehicle to allow for fresh ventilation in the cab of the vehicle.

5) Leave the mask and/or spit hood on the defendant throughout your custody of the defendant when bringing him into the any law enforcement facility.

6) The Ridgely Police Department WILL NOT do fingerprinting/booking photos or DNA swabs on COVID-19 persons in the Sheriff’s Office or Denton Police Department while this event is occurring. Ridgely Police Department personnel will petition the court for arrestees at a later time for court ordered fingerprinting/DNA. This will be documented in CrimeStar on your CIR.

7) Ensure that the Sheriff’s Office Duty Officer knows via radio that you are bringing into the Sheriff’s Office a “Person Under Investigation” (PUI) defendant so deputies/officers in the office are not caught off-guard or if there are other prisoners already in the area.

I. Remain at your vehicle with the defendant until the Sheriff’s Office Duty Officer says via radio you can enter the facility.

II. The Sheriff’s Office Duty Officer will ensure that all persons in the booking/deputy’s area of the Sheriff’s Office is wearing the proper PPE/N95 masks at all times when a COVID-19 positive/exposed person is being processed in the Sheriff’s Office.

III. The Sheriff’s Office Duty Officer will start the District Court Commissioner teleconferencing equipment and have the commissioner on the call prior to the defendant entering.

IV. The Sheriffs’ Office Duty Officer will contact the Detention Center Duty Officer and notify them a defendant may be coming to their facility so they can plan accordingly in advance.

8) Once given the ok by the Sheriff’s Office Duty Officer to enter the building, bring the defendant to the front bathroom and have him/her wash their hands to their forearms with soap/hot water for 20 to 60 seconds.

9) When the defendant is in the booking room of the Sheriff’s Office, the officer will have the door shut, his BWC and Sheriff’s Office video camera activated.

10) When done processing the defendant who is to be committed, have the Sheriff’s Office Duty Officer contact the Duty Officer for the Detention Center at 410-479-2517 and confirm with them there is a person who is to be remanded into their custody and is under suspicion or confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus, (they should already know due to the DO’s prior alert call).

11) Do not take the defendant into the detention center. Follow the direction of the Detention Center Duty Officer regarding how they will be taking custody of the defendant.

12) DECON Procedure:

I. Re-contact the Duty Officer and ask that a member of the jail staff respond to the CCSO or Denton PD booking area with the disinfectant machine, or to let a deputy or police officer have the machine to disinfect the holding cell, commissioner seating area, and bathroom. Any area that the defendant had contact with must be decontaminated. The jail has a handheld misting disinfectant machine to do this.

II. Any pen(s) that the defendant used during this time should also be disinfected or preferably discarded. III. Have the Correctional Officer/ or a designated deputy/police officer respond to your patrol vehicle and use the disinfectant machine in the vehicle to decontaminate the area where the defendant was seated or had contact with.

IV. Because the virus clings to clothing for up to 48 hours or more, officers may have the virus on their clothing when dealing with the prisoner. ALL RIDGELY POLICE DEPARTMENT MEMBERS MUST KEEP A FRESH UNIFORM IN THE CARGO AREA OF THIER VEHICLE.

V. The officer should peel off their PPE cloth overalls from the inside out. This should be bagged in a plastic bag and taken to the Ridgely VFD EMS station to be washed and dried on location. This will be done by the officer.

VI. If for some reason no cloth PPE gear was worn, the officer should change their clothing and bag them in a plastic bag. Once changed into a new uniform, bring the clothing to the Ridgely VFD EMS station and wash and dry it on location. This will be done by the officer.

VII. Clean and disinfect duty belt, weapons, shoes, and gear prior to reuse using issued cleaning spray (SNIPE Disinfectant) or bleach.

C. Follow up Self-Monitoring and Exposure Control a. Ridgely Police Department Members that are exposed to persons suspected or confirmed to be COVID-19 positive will be subject to the Screening, Exposure, Quarantine and Isolation Guidance for Essential Personnel, Version 1, dated March 25, 2020, produced by the Caroline County Emergency Operations Center. b. As directed by the Chief of Police the officer will self-monitor their temperature 3x per day and report their temperature to the Exposure Control Officer (ECO) for a period of 3 days.

D. Traffic Enforcement in General a. Traffic enforcement should continue as needed to protect and enforce Maryland Law. However extreme discretion should be used during this time. b. The Governor of Maryland has signed an executive order suspending the enforcement of expired Maryland drivers’ licenses and/or Maryland vehicle registration. The executive order will impact those individuals whose driver’s license and/or registration expire on or after March 12th, 2020. This extension is in effect until further notice. c. For this reason, you will not write a citation for these offences: https://governor.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/LicensesPermits-Registration.pdf

E. Traffic stops with drivers wearing masks a. If a Ridgely Police Officer encounters an individual/s wearing mask/s during a traffic stop protective protocols will be initiated. b. Utilize protocols mentioned in the occupational distancing plan mentioned below. c. Speak through a partially opened vehicle window to gather enough information to continue with the traffic stop while maintain proper officer safety. d. The Ridgely Police Officer will ask the driver/occupant of the vehicle why they are wearing a mask. e. Disposable gloves shall be worn to handle any documents from the driver or occupant of the vehicle. Proper disinfection protocols will be initiated after the stop. 6

F. Expansion of the Telephone Reporting System - EFFECTIVE NOW UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

a. The criteria for the Telephone Reporting System (TRS) will include the following:

I. Malicious destruction of property (no limit)

II. Theft (no limit)

III. Tampering with a vehicle

IV. Attempted vehicle theft V. Credit, debit card, or identity theft

VI. Telephone misuse (no limit) VII. Trespassing (not in progress)

VIII. Accidents: All persons involved in private property vehicle collisions and roadway collisions that do not result in injury or significant property damage where the vehicle can be moved or drivable will be directed to exchange the appropriate information and given a CC number of the call for insurance purposes. The Ridgely Police Department will continue responses to collisions with injuries and significant property damage where the vehicle is not drivable.

b. Incidents that WILL NOT be handled via the TRS are:

I. the incident is in-progress;

II. the suspect is still on scene, in the vicinity or the potential for immediate arrest exists;

III. there is any injury or the likelihood for injury exists;

IV. an identifiable suspect exists; V. there is physical evidence; or

VI. the complainant insists that a Ridgely Police Officer respond.

3. Information requests from the general public Anyone who contacts the Ridgely Police Department requesting information about the COVID-19 virus can be directed to call 211 for further guidance. Any press request involving the COVID-19 incident or response should be directed to the Caroline County Department of Emergency Services (DES) https://www.carolinemd.org/181/Emergency-Services

4. Occupational Distancing Plan Due to the nature of the work-related activities performed by the police officers of the Ridgely Police Department it will be difficult to implement strict occupational distancing protocols. However, all officers will use the following methods of limiting potential exposure to the COVID-19 when they interact with the public and other personnel. These include the following:

I. Face-to-Face: In face-to-face meetings, individuals should limit close contact. Participants should practice staying six (6) feet apart.

II. Preventative Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Personal Protection Measures

III. To help limit any potential exposure to the COVID-19, the Ridgely Police Department will maintain or have access to a supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including the following:

• Disposable N-95 Masks

• Disposable Surgical Masks

• Disposable Nitrile Gloves

• Hand Sanitizer Dispensers

• SNIPER Disinfectant Spray

• Disinfectant Wipes

• Cloth Suits

5. Other Considerations Ridgely Police Department personnel are encouraged to remain informed and to obtain additional information regarding pandemic related topics by visiting the following websites:

• https://www.cdc.gov/

• https://www.osha.gov/