Greater Sudbury's top cop issued a plea to residents to take seriously the orders in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Greater Sudbury Police Chief Paul Pedersen said residents need to do their part to flatten the curve, and that includes staying apart.
“Don't gather in large crowds, don't throw house parties, don't have your kids playing on the same swings and slides as other kids,” Pedersen said in a Youtube video. “It' so important to keep our distance now, and this is one of the main ways for us all to stay healthy.
“You put our people at risk if you're not looking after your own health. If our people get sick, they can't look after your safety. This is an officer safety plea to have you take these orders and warnings seriously.”
Sudburians can help their community get through this pandemic by following the emergency pandemic orders set out by the province, Pedersen said.
He also thanked all essential workers across all sectors, from grocery stores to hospital staff, from bus drivers to firefighters and everyone in between.
“I want to reassure everyone your police service is still out there providing crime prevention services, enforcement services and responding to speeders, drunk drivers and violent crimes,” Pedersen said. “We're still out there doing everything we do to keep our community safe. However, there are changes being made in the wake of COVID-19.
“We're going to be doing more things online, interviews by phone, and we may even be using programs like Facetime and Skype. That doesn't mean the work isn't important, it just means we're delivering it in a fashion differently.”
Officers may also be showing up in masks to protect them and the public they serve and to reassure the public the service they are getting is safe, Pedersen said.
